By REX HOGGARD and ALEX MICELI
Senior Writer and Golfweek ContributorIn the wake of the recent announcement that the R&A will not begin testing players for performance-enhancing drugs at this year’s British Open, the PGA of America has announced it will test at the year’s final major championship.
In a May 14 news release, officials said the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills will mark the first testing at a major championship. PGA officials also plan to test for banned substances at September’s Ryder Cup.
“In support of the random testing protocol on the PGA Tour, the PGA of America will provide facilities for testing at each PGA Championship beginning with this year’s event at Oakland Hills Country Club and each Ryder Cup conducted in the United States, beginning with the matches at Valhalla Golf Club,” the statement read.
The testing will adhere to the banned-substances list developed last year by the members of the World Golf Foundation and will adopt the PGA Tour’s testing methods.
“The PGA has adopted the Tour’s Substance and Methods List, calling it the Prohibited Substance List, which will be adopted as a condition of competition for the PGA Championship and will be incorporated into the Captain's Agreement for the Ryder Cup,” the PGA said on its Web site.
According to sources, the PGA of America will not be involved in determining who will be tested, but defer to the PGA Tour’s random selection protocol.
In the case of the Ryder Cup, where only 24 players will participate, the PGA of America, in conjunction with the PGA European Tour and PGA Tour, will determine what the selection process will be prior to the event.
The PGA Tour, which has undergone an intense education process of its players this year, will begin testing July 1. The Tour recently informed players they will be tested at least twice in 2008 and three times per year beginning in 2009.
• • •
Rex Hoggard is a
Golfweek senior writer. To reach him e-mail
rhoggard@golfweek.com.
Posted: 5/14/2008
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