Woods seeks tough doping plan

Tiger Woods called for “somewhat significant” penalties for professional golfers who test positive for banned substances when the PGA Tour begins an anti-doping plan next year.

Woods, who is in Montreal with the U.S. team to play in the Presidents Cup, said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem will be on hand to give the players further information about the testing procedures and the potential penalties involved.

“Given our reputation in our sport, how honorable our sport is and always has been and will continue to be, I think that the penalty’s got to be somewhat significant,” Woods said.

“I don’t know how extensive. But I believe that it has to be somewhat significant because the sport has traditionally been about honor, and I think that someone who breaks that code of ethics in our sport should be penalized.”

The PGA Tour issued a list of proposed banned substances in an announcement last week, as part of the newly formed World Golf Foundation that is backing an anti-doping plan. Among the prohibited substances are anabolic agents, hormones and related substances, anti-estrogens, diuretics, stimulants, narcotics, cannabinoids and beta blockers.

Woods said he isn’t sure what precise violation should lead to a player being banned, or how the degree of the penalty would match up with a player using a specific performance-enhancing drug.

“How severe are we going to go on this is the question,” he said. “I know some of the guys have taken a steroid pack. What I mean by that is you have an anti-inflammatory. It’s like a five-day pack. . . . I don’t know how far we’re going to go on that.

“We all think that it has probably happened in the past. We know guys who have tried beta-blockers. Nick Price is the first one to admit it, that he did use it, because he had a heart problem. He needed to do it so he didn’t have any more heart complications. He said it actually hurt his game. But, you know, as far as that, we really don’t know.”

Woods was an early proponent of an anti-doping policy in professional golf. He called for a drug testing program for the PGA Tour 13 months ago and volunteered to be first in line.

He said much of the same in December at his Target World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, when he did not rule out the possibility that PGA Tour pros were using performance-enhancing drugs, including steroids.

Said Woods: “There’s always a possibility. Unless you’re tested, there’s always going to be a shadow of a doubt on any sport.”

The LPGA will roll out its own drug testing program in 2008 and the Royal & Ancient and the USGA conducted a sample test last year at the World Amateur Team Championship. The 12 golfers tested negative.

Woods also announced the 16-player field for the $5.75-million Target World Challenge, a tournament he hosts to benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation, Dec. 13-16 at Sherwood. Woods, Jim Furyk, Masters champion Zach Johnson, British Open champion Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh and Steve Stricker are the top ranked players.

Sponsors exemptions went to Fred Couples, Mark Calcavecchia, Davis Love III and Paul Casey.

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thomas.bonk@latimes.com