Finchem: Tiger's Drug Tests Clean

A week of notes, quotes and golf gossip ...

Reading between the lines of last week's public address by Tiger Woods, two things jumped out.

First, while Woods acknowledged having already spent time in rehab and said he had scheduled an immediate return, never did he identify the type of rehabilitation he was undergoing. It has only been speculated that he is receiving treatment for sexual addition.

Also, Woods made a point to label false all speculation of "performance enhancing drugs."

Because early reports in the Woods saga suggested a dependency on the pain medicine Vicodin and sleep aid Ambien, could there be more to Woods' rehab than meets the eye?

Statements by Tim Finchem, however, do not support any suspicious theories.

The PGA Tour commissioner said Woods has, on several occasions, been among players selected at-random for golf's new drug tests.

"Yes, he said, "multiple times."

Also, Finchem confirmed there was no unannounced suspension for Woods, saying Tiger was free to return to PGA Tour competition at a time of the golfer's choosing.

Looking Ahead

Kenny Perry is the defending champ this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, a tournament that dates to 1932.

Perry has played two PGA TOUR events this season -- tying for sixth at the season-opening SBS Championship and losing in the first round of last week's Accenture Match Play Championship. Perry is ranked No. 14 in the Official World Golf Ranking despite being less than six months from his 50th birthday and becoming eligible for the Champions Tour.

The LPGA is in Singapore for its second event of the season, the HSBC Women's Championship.

Jiyai Shin is defending champ.

English Uprising

Not only did Ian Poulter win the Accenture Match Play Championship Sunday in an all-United Kingdom final against countryman Paul Casey, but English golfers are now Nos. 4, 5 and 6 in the World Rankings -- Lee Westwood, Poulter and Casey.

"I just think that there's been a lot of great talent in England for such a long time," Poulter said. "And it's so nice to see guys actually deliver on the golf course. We've been waiting for a long time. It still hasn't happened that -- an Englishman hasn't won a major for a long time. It's about time the guys that have put themselves in position 4, 5 and 6 in the world, I guess, should step up to the plate and hopefully deliver on that."

Germany's Second Golfer

One of the world's best young players many American golf fans have has not fully discovered yet is Germany's Martin Kaymer.

The 25-year-old turned pro in 2005 and already has seven career European Tour victories, including this year's Abu Dhabi Championship.

Although Kaymer was eliminated in the second round of the Match Play by Tim Clark, he's still ranked No. 8 in the World Golf Rankings.

But if this comes as news, don't feel bad.

Kaymer admits he's not even well known at home in Germany.

"No, no, not at all," he said. "You know, golf in Germany is not as big as in America or in Great Britain. So not a lot of people know me there. I think it's good. I can still walk on the street without ... yeah, there are not a lot of people coming up and hey, can I have this, can I have that, can I have a photograph. I really enjoy it."

With the previous exception of two-time Masters champ Bernhard Langer, Germany has never had a player to generate much interest for the sport. So Kaymer understands he's a mystery guest.

"Well, I think that the main sport we have is obviously soccer, that's the biggest sport we have," he said. "Handball got really big with the World Cup that we had. I think golf is probably third or fourth. Our winter sports are huge. Right now you can see that we've got a few medals already in Vancouver. Yeah, I think golf is going to be No. 4. But I'm there to try to get it up there."

Quote Marks

"The tabloids and newspapers just killed him, held him back. To me it looked like a double standard. ... He never claimed he was God. If anyone tells me to condemn him, I say, 'look at yourself first.' ... I would look in their eyes and tell them, 'you're not God!' "

-- Kultida Woods, after son Tiger's first public appearance last week since being engulfed in scandal

Worth Noting

At the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico, an alternate PGA Tour event opposite the Match Play Championship, two-time heart-transplant recipient Erik Compton earned a place in the field as a Monday qualifier, then made his ninth cut in 18 events. He shot 3-under for a T-40, equaling a career-best finish.

Paul Azinger is officially a Champions Tour player. After playing just one event on the senior circuit since turning 50, the former U.S. Ryder Cup team captain withdrew from last week's Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Fla., citing back problems.

"I remember watching back in the day and just thinking how old everybody looked," Azinger said. "Now, here I am, and everybody looks pretty young."

John Daly shot 68, 69, 69 to start the Mayakoba Classic and was in position to shoot four rounds in the 60s for just the fourth time in his PGA Tour career of 432 tournaments.

He finished with a closing-round 81.