Golfers playing at The Open Championship in July will not be tested for performance-enhancing substances, it has been announced.
The Royal and Ancient Club (R&A) confirmed today that drug testing is now scheduled to start at the tournament in 2009, instead of this year as originally intended.
Organisers had planned for The Open to become the first Major to bring in a drug testing policy this summer, but concerns about the education of players outside the auspices of the main tours in Europe and the US has led to the postponement, the BBC reports.
"It is very important that players understand what it is about and given that quite a number of players do not play on the PGA or European Tours, we decided that it will not start at The Open this year," said R&A chief Peter Dawson.
"But we very much hope and intend to start next year."
South African golf legend Gary Player, a three-time winner at The Open, caused controversy last year when he claimed that a number of professional golfers have taken banned substances.
The 2008 Open begins on 17th July at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport.
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