The worst year ever?

There have been some miserable years in professional golf. Recall Ian Baker-Finch in 1995, when he made 18 starts, missed the cut in 14 of them, withdrew from three of them and was disqualified from one. He was 0 for 18.

In 1997, Chip Beck played in 32 tournaments and made only three cuts and $10,653. The following year, he made two cuts in 29 starts. In 2005, David Duval made 20 starts, missed the cut in 18 of them and withdrew from one. He made one cut and $7,630.

But can any of these can top Doug Barron's year this year? Barron played four Nationwide Tour events, missed the cut in three of them and was disqualified in the fourth. He played one PGA Tour event, the St. Jude Classic, at which he was administered a drug test. He missed the cut there, too, then failed the drug test and was suspended for a year.

No judgment is made here on the merits of his case against the PGA Tour. Maybe he has a strong one. This is just an examination of his year in golf and it warrants strong consideration for inclusion among the worst ever.

He should have stayed in bed, as they say.

-- John Strege