Gary Player: I know of steroids in golf
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By Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Golf legend Gary Player said Wednesday in a news conference on the eve of the 136th British Open that he knows of at least one golfer who has used steroids.
"One guy told me — I took an oath prior to him telling me — but he told me what he did and I could see this massive change in him," said the 71-year-old Hall of Famer and winner of nine majors. "And somebody else told me something I also promised I wouldn't tell, that verified others had done it."

Player urged the governing bodies of golf organizations around the world to move as soon as possible toward a random drug-testing plan.

"We're dreaming if we think it's not going to come into golf," said Player, who estimated that 10 players from tours around the world were taking some type of performance-enhancing drug. ""I know there are golfers doing it, whether it's HGH, whether it's creatine, or whether it's steroids, I know for a fact that some golfers are doing it.

"The greatest thing that the R&A, the USGA and the PGA can do is have tests at random. It's absolutely essential that we do that."

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The European Tour and PGA Tour are moving toward drug policies. The LPGA Tour announced late last year that it would start drug testing in 2008.

Last year, the R&A and the USGA used random testing for the first time at the World Amateur Team Championship in South Africa. All 12 tests came back negative.

"We do support random drug testing in golf, as we've said many times," R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said. "We are working closely with the Tours around the world to achieve the introduction of a uniform drug testing policy. And those discussions, I'm pleased to say, are at a pretty advanced stage."

Tiger Woods, who has said he favors drug testing, said Tuesday he doesn't know of any player who has taken steroids.

"If anything, probably out here it would be testing positive for maybe being hung over a little bit," he said. "But that's about it. I know some guys have taken Medrol packs for inflammation in their wrists, but other than that, I really don't see anybody doing anything, or have heard anybody doing anything."