Delay in starting Open championship drug testing

R&A chief Peter Dawson announces
a postponement of 12 months

The R&A have decided that the implementation of the drug testing of competitors in the Open championship at Royal Birkdale this summer will be postponed for 12 months because some international players have not been exposed to doping education programmes.
Royal & Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson said the Open was not ready to begin the testing programme because of the tournament's international qualifying system. He expects anti-doping controls will be in place for the 2009 championship at Turnberry.
Professional golf adopted an anti-doping policy last November and testing was expected to begin on the PGA and European Tours in July. It had been expected that testing would be conducted at the Open from July 17-20.
"We have decided that drug testing will not take place at this year's Open, but we very much plan and hope, and intend, that it will take place next year," Dawson said at a news conference. "Slightly unsatisfactory that. It is a function of timing.
"If the Open was in October we would probably be drug-testing this year," he said.
Even with no actual testing this year, the R&A has a "no drugs" clause in the championship entry form.