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CROMWELL, Conn. -- Saying drug testing in sports has become a reality, PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem said golf organizations around the world should work closely to develop rules that ultimately could lead to testing.

PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem

"It's unfortunate that these realities are with us, but they are,'' Finchem said Wednesday, speaking to a group of reporters at the Travelers Championship. "And we have to deal with them, and I think it's important that golf deal with them collectively.''

Finchem previously has defended the TOUR's lack of a drug-testing program, suggesting he had no evidence of drugs that would help or any players using performance-enhancing drugs.

The LPGA Tour announced last year it would start drug testing in 2008, while the European Tour is working on its own drug-testing program that could start as early as next season. In amateur golf, the R&A and USGA did a sample test at the World Amateur Team Championship in South Africa late last year, and all 12 golfers came back clean.

Finchem recommended that all golf organizations develop a single standard on what to test for and how.

"In Europe, in particular, and in certain other areas of the world, the idea of testing in athletics is just a reality, because it's government required,'' he said.

Finchem's call comes at a time when many sports -- from cycling to the NFL -- are either establishing or toughening drug policies.

J.J. Henry, back in Connecticut defending his first TOUR win, said he doesn't think testing will have a big impact on the sport.

"A lot of people have talked about that integrity and honesty of golf is what makes it so special,'' he said. "I'd like to think there's none of that going on out here, to be honest with you.''

Last November, the PGA TOUR's board authorized the TOUR to develop a list of prohibited substances and to create an education program that would inform players about how they might get into the body, the health risks, the nature of any potential testing and possible penalties.

Finchem said the first step is developing a policy for drugs, then figuring out the next step.

"We don't have a rule on performance-enhancing drugs; we never had had,'' he said. "We're getting close on that. I suspect we'll be done with that certainly this year.''

Once a rule is in place, he said it "in all likelihood will require ... a testing program on some basis so that we have a legitimacy to the rule.''