Woods drugs allegation withdrawn

Former Tour player Dan Olsen alleged in an interview on US radio station 730AM The Game on Friday that Woods was serving a drugs ban.

Claims that Tiger Woods is serving a one-month suspension – rebutted by the player’s agent and the PGA Tour – have been withdrawn.

Woods is taking an indefinite break from golf as he attempts to get his game ’tournament ready’ after a poor run of form and injuries.

Former Tour player Dan Olsen, who played in 35 Tour events between 1989 and 2011 – missing 22 cuts – alleged in an interview on US radio station 730AM The Game on Friday that Woods was serving a drugs ban, but on Monday retracted his claims and issued an apology to the 14-time major winner.

“I retract the entire interview,” Olsen said in a statement on the radio station’s website. “My comments were ill-advised. I want to apologise to Nike, the PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and (Tour commissioner) Tim Finchem.”

The allegations had brought a strong denial from the PGA, with PGA Tour executive vice-president and chief marketing officer Ty Votaw issuing a statement.

“There is no truth whatsoever to these claims,” it read. “We categorically deny these allegations.”

Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg also quashed the allegations, labelling them “unequivocally and completely false”.

“These claims are absolutely, unequivocally and completely false,” he said. “They are unsourced, unverified and completely ridiculous.

“The PGA Tour has confirmed that there is no truth to these claims.”

Woods has not played since he withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open at the start of February, less than a week after firing a career-worst round of 82 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

No date has been set for the 39-year-old’s return, with the Masters at Augusta starting on April 9.