R&A chief Dawson faces testing time

R&A chief executive Peter Dawson will undergo a drugs test today as testing is carried out at the Open Championship for the first time.

Drug testing on the European and US Tour began last year, with no positive findings so far reported, but it was not carried out during the Open at Birkdale as international qualifying had started before the various education programmes had been fully embarked upon.

However, it will be undertaken at Turnberry for both performance-enhancing and recreational drugs, using the same procedures as on the European Tour.

“I’ll be able to tell you a lot more about it after I’ve undergone a drug test myself in the morning, which I plan to do, because I want to see the process first hand,” Dawson said.

One of the main reasons for introducing testing was to assist with golf’s bid to be included in the Olympics in 2016, but with no positive tests so far, Dawson was asked if the programme had been worthwhile.

“Now that we’re doing it, I would absolutely be an advocate for continuing it, because I think the game will do itself most good by continuing to demonstrate that it’s a clean sport,” Dawson added.

“I would vote for continuing because you can never be complacent about these things.”