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Former Tour player claims Woods suspended by Tour; agent, Tour deny claims

Former PGA Tour player Dan Olsen made a serious accusation on Friday: that Tiger Woods had been suspended by the Tour for a month.

Olsen, who was an exempt player for the 2004 PGA Tour season, made the claim Friday on radio station WVFN to host David DeMarco. The Michigan-based pro claimed his sources were "exempt Tour players," but that Woods was not suspended for taking testosterone.

“I think when it’s all said and done, he’s going to surpass Lance Armstrong in infamy," Olsen said.

Both Tiger Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, and the PGA Tour vehemently deny Olsen's claims.

“These claims are absolutely, unequivocally and completely false," Steinberg said in a statement. "They are unsourced, unverified and completely ridiculous. The PGA Tour has confirmed that there is no truth to these claims.”

“Regarding the allegations made by Dan Olsen concerning Tiger Woods, there is no truth whatsoever to his claims and the PGA Tour categorically denies them," said PGA Tour media official Joel Schuchmann in a statement made on behalf of the Tour.

Olsen went on to make other claims, including that Nike Golf had provided Tiger Woods with a golf ball that gave him an advantage over other players and that Olsen would "almost bet hadn't been tested."

"So he's really playing with -- I'm not gonna say a cheater ball, because he has the help of the establishment, really -- but he played a ball that nobody else could play. ...

"So that combined with his enhancement issues, like having a Canadian blood spinning doctor in his phone, you know? I mean, I think people are starting to openly call it what it is, which is gonna be a problem for him."

In a statement, Nike Golf said, "Every ball Tiger has put in competitive play from Nike has been thoroughly tested and approved by the USGA and R&A in accordance with their governing rules."

Olsen also said he believed Woods was faking the back injury the 14-time major winner cited in withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open.

Woods announced Feb. 11 that he would not play again on the PGA Tour until his game was "tournament ready."

On Monday, Olsen backed off his claims.

"Everything I said on that radio interview was only my opinion and not based on any firsthand knowledge or facts," Olsen said to ESPN.com. "I want to make a full retraction to everything I said for the entire radio interview, and I apologize to Tiger, Nike, Phil [Mickelson], [commissioner] Tim Finchem and the PGA Tour."


Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.