Tour News
PGA Tour to begin blood testing for PEDs in 2017-2018 season
The PGA Tour will begin blood testing for PEDs for 2017-2018 season
In addition to adding blood testing to its anti-doping efforts, the PGA Tour will also report drug suspensions next season, the Policy Board has confirmed.
The Tour will also square its list of banned substance with the World Anti-Doping Association’s Prohibited List of Substances and Methods.
Critics of the Tour’s policy have called for all of the above.
Blood testing will allow the Tour to screen for human growth hormone, which can’t be detected through the present urine tests.
Additionally, the Tour will amend its present policy of announcing player suspension for performance-enhancing drugs to include suspensions for all drugs (e.g. recreational).
“While we are extremely pleased with the implementation and results of the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Program to date, we believe that these changes to our program are prudent in that they further our objectives of protecting the well-being of our members and better substantiate the integrity of golf as a clean sport,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
To ensure players are up to date with the changes, the Tour is beginning a comprehensive education program about the new testing and expanded Prohibited List.
The Tour will continue its Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) to allow players with established conditions to use otherwise banned substance if medically necessary.
The Tour established its Anti-Doping Program in 2008.
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Equipment
Photos from the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
GolfWRX is live this week at Colonial Country Club for the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Custom Camerons and some “super” new grips from SuperStroke are filling our galleries early in the week as well as WITBs — including the always interesting “Cashmere Keith” Mitchell.
Check out links to our photos below, which we’ll continue to update throughout the week.
And while you’re making your way through our photos, be sure to check out last year’s incredible gallery of prototype and personal Ben Hogan golf clubs.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Keith Mitchell – WITB – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Rafa Campos – WITB – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
- R Squared – WITB – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Martin Laird – WITB – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Paul Haley – WITB – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
Pullout Albums
- Eric Cole’s newest custom Cameron putter – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
- New Super Stroke Marvel comic themed grips – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Ben Taylor’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship
GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.
While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.
Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Michael Block – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Patrick Reed – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cam Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Josh Speight – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Takumi Kanaya – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kyle Mendoza – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Adrian Meronk – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jordan Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jeremy Wells – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jared Jones – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Somers – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Larkin Gross – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tracy Phillips – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jon Rahm – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Keita Nakajima – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kazuma Kobori – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- David Puig – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Ryan Van Velzen – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brad Marek – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rich Beem WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Phil Mickelson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Matt Dobyns – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Lucas Herbert – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jason Dufner – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Daly – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Taylor Gooch – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dean Burmester – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dustin Johnson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
Pullout Albums
- Ping putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Bettinardi covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cameron putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Max Homa – Titleist 2 wood – 2024 PGA Championship
- Scotty Cameron experimental putter shaft by UST – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – new Ping putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka’s new Cameron putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s Cobra bag and Aerojet driver – 2024 PGA Championship
- Super Stroke grip – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tiger Woods – 2024 PGA Championship
- Michael Block’s new TaylorMade “Proto” 7-iron, from address – 2024 PGA Championship
- Odyssey putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
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News
Photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
GolfWRX is live this week at the Wells Fargo Championship as a field of the world’s best golfers descend upon Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping to tame the beast that is Quail Hollow Club in this Signature Event — only Scottie Scheffler, who is home awaiting the birth of his first child, is absent.
From the grounds at Quail Hollow, we have our usual assortment of general galleries and WITBs — including a look at left-hander Akshay Bhatia’s setup. Among the pullout albums, we have a look inside Cobra’s impressive new tour truck for you to check out. Also featured is a special look at Quail Hollow king, Rory McIlroy.
Be sure to check back throughout the week as we add more galleries.
General Albums
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Monday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matthieu Pavon – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Keegan Bradley – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Webb Simpson – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Emiliano Grillo – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Taylor Pendrith – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Kevin Tway – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
Pullout Albums
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rory McIlroy – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Eric Cole’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matt Kuchar’s custom Bettinardi – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Justin Thomas – driver change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler – putter change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s new custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Tommy Fleetwood testing a TaylorMade Spider Tour X (with custom neck) – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Cobra Darkspeed Volition driver – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying about our Wells Fargo Championship photos in the forums.
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Frankie
Jun 23, 2017 at 2:14 pm
Are LSD and shrooms still allowed on Tour?
E
Jun 24, 2017 at 3:21 am
Those aren’t performance-enhancing, they’re comedy-inducing, so yes, they are permitted lol
setter02
Jun 22, 2017 at 11:59 pm
I’m sure they will get right on this stuff like they care about slow play…
Barry
Jun 22, 2017 at 11:33 am
How will this affect the Matt Every’s of the world? Will their games take a hit if they can’t smoke any more left-handed cigarettes before their rounds?
Matt
Jun 23, 2017 at 12:24 am
Well, if it comes from the earth it shouldn’t be on a banned substances list 😉
SH
Jun 24, 2017 at 1:56 pm
As opposed to things that come from Space on a meteor? Duh
Matt
Jun 22, 2017 at 2:36 am
I don’t see the use of PED’s and HGH benefitting golfers. Finesse games like golf, archery, bowls, etc are entirely different to intense endurance, ball, and contact sports. Can imagine beta blockers like Propranadol would be in use for golf however.
Was
Jun 23, 2017 at 10:00 am
Try walking 36 holes and also hit a few buckets of balls in one day. And try to see if you can play 5 rounds of golf in a week back to back all walking and shoot at least Par or better on all those days and tell us how you feel about it then. You’re allowed to use a caddy, if you want. And on any of those days you felt like you felt some pain or fatigue and decided to use any meds or something else to help you, consider that there may be some things out there in the world that may help you carry you thru that without any of the pain or fatigue.
Bob Pegram
Jun 21, 2017 at 11:10 pm
What does PED stand for?
How can they test for HGH (human growth hormone) when it it is naturally produced by the body? That doesn’t make sense. Would they test for excessive amounts in the blood or what? People who age more slowly keep producing it way longer than those who age quickly. It is partly hereditary and also affected by how much exercise a person has done over the years, by diet, etc. Especially in older people there is a wide variance.
SH
Jun 22, 2017 at 3:41 am
https://www.wada-ama.org
Joe Doaks
Jun 21, 2017 at 8:15 pm
Jim and Ders are spot on. PEDs aid greatly in recovery. HGH has been used on the PGA Tour for several years. A number of players from the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour trained in the same gym I trained in for several years. It is not always the young bulked up guys doing PEDs, it is sometimes the guys further down the money list and older that are looking for any edge to be competitive.
Bishop
Jun 21, 2017 at 4:29 pm
One of the items I didn’t see on the list: Deer Antler Velvet. Isn’t that what Vijay was taking to get him his suspension?
carl spackler
Jun 21, 2017 at 2:44 pm
looking at the list, adderall is not banned? by far the most used drug on tour
Tom54
Jun 21, 2017 at 9:32 am
I agree with everything said but just want to add one thing. I hope the PGA tour never has to worry about its reputation with worrying about any player deserving of an asterisk if they are found to be using pens. That would be a damaging blow to all. I hope for the best though
Rich
Jun 21, 2017 at 9:03 am
Glad to see that the Tour is going to be transparent.Rory didn’t just buff up from lifting weights and the same said of Tiger.These things have already shown not to be that much of a plus in golf other than endurance.It will sell tight fitting shirts . But too dense tissue can be restricting causing injury from tightness and movement loss and pain as a result. Drug use is everywhere so why would we think it’s not on the tour ? Produce the names and this will change the game .No product manufacture
wants their product attached to a player using PED’s or Drugs.
Rich
Jun 21, 2017 at 9:12 am
Just to clear the statement a little, I’m not saying that Rory or Tiger have used PED’s but the appearance of gaining mass could let some think that one has used some substance whether legal or not.
Beefhouse
Jun 21, 2017 at 11:10 am
Of course they use supplements. Every golfer on tour will use them, to some extent.. even if it’s just an energy drink. As with cycling, athletics etc. it’s all about knowing what side of the line you’re on and staying comfortably on that side.
Let’s get one thing clear… in the wider world, neither Rory or Tiger are massive. They are an athletic build, having shifted some iron. There is of course plenty of separate evidence to suggest that Tiger takes all sorts, but nothing for Rory other than he looks fitter than he did when he was on a diet of cheeseburgers and couldn’t squat!
Americans Ruin Everything by Talking
Jun 21, 2017 at 11:00 am
Rory is NOT buff. All photos of him without a shirt shows that he’s actually built normally, it’s the tight shirts he wears from Nike designed to make him look like that, but he is actually not buff, unlike someone like Jason Day. Edlrick is, however.
Chris B
Jun 21, 2017 at 2:49 am
About time! Will any of the stats change?
Beefhouse
Jun 21, 2017 at 10:58 am
Not when the clubs are on drugs!! Lol lol Callaway.
Chris B
Jun 22, 2017 at 1:58 am
And the ball
Was
Jun 21, 2017 at 2:33 am
Well, that’ll shut the door on Eldrick’s career, then, eh?
chuck
Jun 20, 2017 at 8:30 pm
Tcann32 knows his stuff.. the first 2 comments are from some serious amateurs.. like I WILL NOT reply to you guys.
Adam
Jun 20, 2017 at 6:17 pm
This was necessary. However, there has to be some element of surprise as to when tests will be administered.
I’m guessing 30% of pros use PED’s. Let’s see who suffers under the new policy.
ooffa
Jun 20, 2017 at 4:25 pm
The steroids took Tigers career. Rory is heading down the same path. If this helps keep these guys off of the PED’s it will be better for all of them.
Beefhouse
Jun 21, 2017 at 10:57 am
It is a pretty lazy assumption to make that because someone lifts weights, they take steroids…
Jack Nash
Jun 21, 2017 at 12:06 pm
It’s not an assumption when it’s been proven by surgeons that the first things to go from PED use are the joints, eg knees, because a persons anatomy, or bone structure is limited to a certain amount of muscle. Once that threshold is past the joints suffer greatly.
TR1PTIK
Jun 21, 2017 at 1:27 pm
Yes, because Tiger and Rory are so “jacked” that they’ve reached this limit. LOL
CCShop
Jun 21, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Yep. Guess it wasn’t the Navy Seal training or the 5-10 mile runs every morning in combat boots. His military workout obsession and injuries from that did him in.
AB
Jun 22, 2017 at 1:48 am
Keeps drinking the tiger kool aids
Tcann32
Jun 20, 2017 at 3:51 pm
The amount of worry behind this still doesn’t make any sense to me.. You don’t even have to be that strong to hit the ball far, and no drugs are going to help you achieve consistency and shot placement. The lowest score in PGA tour history was shot by a man that’s clearly not on any drugs. The argument of having more energy through and till the end of the round is hardly even valid either, as at the end of the day, the game just doesn’t require that much physical fitness. A few guys get into shape compared to the golfers of the past and everyone thinks PED’s are rampant.
That being said, if people are cheating, then they deserve to get caught, and I’m all for that.
Was
Jun 21, 2017 at 2:33 am
Stamina, though. Some of that stuff can make you stay energized longer
Beefhoues
Jun 21, 2017 at 4:40 am
I agree, PEDs in golf don’t really make much sense. Justin Thomas and Bubba Watson both have arms like pipe cleaners yet they rip it out of sight.
Tiger aside, I would be v surprised if any of the top players are juicing during the season. Rory and JDay just have typical gym bods that can be achieved by lifting heavy and eating more. However, in the bodybuilding/powerlifting/rugby communities, it’s often those persons who are lagging behind and desperate that get to the top that turn to PEDs.
Jim
Jun 21, 2017 at 7:57 am
It’s not about being strong, it’s about showing up Sunday and feeling brand new and less fatigued by a mile than the guy all natural. Steroids go far behoind just raw strength.
Adam Crawford
Jun 21, 2017 at 10:23 am
Bingo.
Ders
Jun 21, 2017 at 7:49 pm
Yup. If its a sport you can injure yourself at, its a sport in which you can benefit from steroids and HGH.