LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens said she has no knowledge of drug use among tour players.
This may seem like a sad state of affairs, but there have been some interesting tales of rife drug abuse in both amateur and professional games around the world. Someone has to start the trend and it will be interesting to see what the results of this program are and whether other tours will follow suit.
The LPGA Tour said Wednesday it will begin testing players for performance-enhancing drugs in 2008, a move that makes it the first major golf tour to announce a drug-testing program.
"While we have no evidence to date that any of our players are using performance-enhancing drugs, we need to have a very clear policy and a program in place," Bivens said. "We want to take a proactive role."
Players learned of the decision with the announcement.
Annika Sorenstam, the top-ranked women's player, said she had no problem with the decision, yet called it "sad that we have to have testing."
"Golf is not like other sports," said Sorenstam, who was tested in college. "I believe in this sport. I believe in the people out here. ... I don't think you're going to see anything out here, so it might be a waste of time. But if it's peace of mind for people and if we need to prove that the LPGA's clean, then let's do it."
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