Written by Staff Writer
Four players — golfers in South Africa’s Sunshine Tour — have tested positive for recreational drugs, the sport’s governing body said on Wednesday.
The testing began on Friday when 21 players were tested in a series of random tests. Further testing will now begin with the four following names being drawn.
South African Golf Union president Mzwandile Madlan issued a statement, saying “we don’t know what these substances could be but we do know that they are prohibited.”
The Golf Union added that they have notified the PGA Tour of the discovery.
Over 24 million people are members of the PGA and golf officials are ensuring that players on tours worldwide are treated equally under the anti-doping rules.
Golf’s governing body launched its anti-doping initiative in 2016.
Recent testing has seen substances found in high profile players including Rory McIlroy, Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods.
Before that and, leading to the disqualification of several athletes, the PGA Tour denied using public information to punish fellow professional golfers.
The PGA revealed in March that twelve of their Tour members had failed drug tests in 2016, while Russian player Maria Sharapova had also been tested twice since May.
And last October the Tour banned Italian golf player Matteo Manassero from the 2016 US Open and his participation in future major tournaments after receiving a positive test for marijuana.
CNN’s Jeffrey Dastin explores the PGA Tour and the introduction of its player drug testing program.
Talented golfer Talor Gooch dropped out of the tour for two years following a failed drug test in 2015, while junior golfers were caught up in a doping scandal when the PGA Championship was held in Florida in 2006.