News

Robert Garrigus returns from 3-month drug suspension; advocates for PGA Tour to change its policy on marijuana

Published

7 years ago

Jul 3, 2019

Robert Garrigus makes his return to the PGA Tour this week following a three-month suspension for violating the PGA Tour’s policy on marijuana, and the 41-year-old has issued a plea for the Tour to adjust its policy on the drug.

The Idaho native became the first player in Tour history to be suspended for the use of a “drug of abuse” back in March, and following the ban, Garrigus initially stated on social media that he had relapsed with marijuana.

Speaking to Golf Channel, however, Garrigus noted that he holds a medical marijuana card and that he had merely gone over the current limit allowed by the PGA Tour.

“I wasn’t trying to degrade the PGA Tour in any way, my fellow professionals in any way. I don’t cheat the game. That wasn’t my intentions. But the rules are the rules. I went over, and I got suspended.”

Legal in some form in 33 states, and currently legal recreationally in 10, Garrigus also questioned why the drug is considered a “drug of abuse” by authorities since a doctor can prescribe it.

“If you have some sort of pain and CBD or THC may help that and you feel like it’s going to help you and it can’t be prescribed by a doctor, then what are we doing? If we’re going to do marijuana, you should be testing for alcohol too. If you can buy it in a store, then why are we testing for it?”

The current World Number 603 will make his first start since the ban at this week’s 3M Open, and for Garrigus, the use of non-performance enhancing substances should be on the table for discussion in the future.

“It doesn’t help you get it in the hole. That’s one thing. I understand HGH, anything you’re trying to do to cheat the game, you should be suspended for, 100 per cent. Everything else should be a discussion.”

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected]

9 Comments

JThunder

Jul 4, 2019 at 3:06 am

The main reason marijuana hasn’t been legal all along is that the wealthy pharmaceutical companies lobbied against it; it’s a very effective pain reliever and anti-inflammatory – which you can grow yourself and with FAR fewer side-effects than any of the laboratory concoctions they push. (Not to mention less addictive and less destructive than legal and socially-sanctioned alcohol.)

Instead, they raked in the money on expensive and dangerous drugs (opioids, anyone?), and the foolish policies allowed the drug cartels to become wealthy and powerful on marijuana sales. Tax free.

Reply Report comment
- G
  
  Jul 4, 2019 at 12:23 pm
  
  It’s definitely not pain relieving nor anti-inflammatory. Lets get that straight.
  It’s completely addictive, and extremely hallucinatory.
  For some, it changes their character completely such as lowering their inhibitions and making them act in a way that is not their normal self, which could in turn, therefore be performance-enhancing as they are beyond their normal level of behavior. Which is why some athletes want to use it, because it helps some of them feel less stressed etc. It does not work the same for everyone, there is no measurable consistency of behavior with the drug.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Guy above me's an asshole
    
    Jul 6, 2019 at 2:04 am
    
    Hey everyone, I found Jeff Sessions.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Pete
    
    Jul 6, 2019 at 2:05 am
    
    They say progress happens one funeral at a time, looking forward to yours old man.
    
    Reply Report comment
- G
  
  Jul 4, 2019 at 12:30 pm
  
  We already have isolated the CBD part from the plant, which is legal, so there is no need to take the drug through the use of the plant by smoking it or ingesting it, and yes, he can obtain just the CBD component, and he knew that, but decided to ignore it, because he would rather smoke it and get high on the THC. That is the point, and his gripe. The world would be happy to provide him with pure CBD with no THC content whatsoever to give him pain relief, as well as plenty of NSAIDs to do the same, but no, he decided to just go and smoke it.
  
  Reply Report comment
Steve

Jul 3, 2019 at 2:41 pm

Let me smoke! He’ll let them toke up in between holes for all I care.

Reply Report comment
Brandon

Jul 3, 2019 at 2:15 pm

Once the dinosaurs all die off this rule will change. Totally pointless.

Reply Report comment
Prost

Jul 3, 2019 at 10:58 am

Hear hear!

Reply Report comment
- Doobs
  
  Jul 3, 2019 at 2:11 pm
  
  It certainly ISN’T performance enhancing. If it keeps professionals off other additive pain meds (opioids, etc.) then it should be encouraged and not criminalized.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

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GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

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GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase