Drug testing ahead: PGA plans to institute program next season

The tour’s plan was approved by its policy board on Monday.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Starting in July on the PGA Tour, players who register for a tournament could be given a locker, a tee time for their pro-am and a cup to submit a sample for their drug test.

The PGA Tour plans to start its drug-testing program next year after six months of an intensive education program, with penalties for a positive test ranging from a one-year suspension for the first offense to a lifetime ban if a player is caught three times.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem will have some discretion on some offenses, especially if any positive tests are from recreational instead of performance-enhancing drugs. But he said ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse.

“This is not the FedEx Cup,” Finchem said Tuesday, a joking reference to players not understanding the points race. “You’ve got to know the details on this one.”

Leaders from golf’s most influential organizations signed off last month on an anti-doping policy. The tour’s plan was approved by its policy board on Monday.

The tour will be sending players a comprehensive manual on the anti-doping policy Dec. 1, part of an education program that will extend through June. Players must attend a drug policy meeting in January, they will have access to a 24-hour hotline for questions about various substances, and medical experts will be at tournaments throughout next year.

The manual contains a list of prohibited substances that fall under 10 categories, ranging from anabolic steroids to human growth hormones to narcotics to beta blockers.

Finchem said the tour can test without notice anytime and anywhere, either at a tournament or a player’s house. He said testing would be random, comparing it with pingpong balls used in a lottery; selective random testing, to help ensure every player gets tested at least once; and regular testing if a player has a history of substance abuse.

Penalties could include ineligibility for up to one year for the first violation; up to five years for the second violation; up to a lifetime ban for multiple violations; and fines up to $500,000.

Finchem said violations for recreational drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, could be treated differently from steroids. The program allows the commissioner discretion to require treatment instead of sanctions, or a combination of the two.

The PGA Tour was a reluctant entry into the new world of sports and drug testing, and Finchem resisted a policy for years because he had no evidence any of his players were using performance-enhancing drugs, or what drugs would help a golfer win tournaments.