Australian Mark Hensby Banned For Drugs Violation

Australian Mark Hensby has been banned for one year from the PGA Tour after failing to provide a drug testing sample

Australian Mark Hensby Banned For Drugs Violation

Australian golfer Mark Hensby has been banned for one year from the PGA Tour after failing to provide a drug testing sample.

The PGA Tour released this statement, "The PGA Tour announced today that Mark Hensby has violated the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Policy for failing to provide a drug testing sample after notification, and has been suspended for a period of one year. He will be eligible to return on October 26, 2018".

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Back in the day, Hensby had been a decent player with his pinnacle year coming in 2005 with a win at the Scandinavian Masters, and top five finishes at the Masters and US Open. He would go on to make every Major cut that year as well. However, the Australian's game has not been there for some time now, not even playing in a Major since The 2007 Open Championship.

We can probably attribute this to him being in a car accident in 2006. Regardless, currently he is ranked outside the top 1000 players.

Hensby is the fourth player to be suspended by the PGA Tour, along with Doug Barron, Bhavik Patel, and Scott Stallings, for violating their doping policy.

Drugs within sport is a prevalent issue right now, with all governing bodies looking to tighten their drugs policies which undoubtedly is a good thing.

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Updates in golf's drug policies came about because of the sports inclusion in the Olympic Games, so they had to comply somewhat with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) policies.

Therefore, violations should be punished so it is good to see Hensby being banned for a year, and yet it seems he wasn't enjoying his golf anyway.

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His most recent PGA Tour start came in October at the Sanderson Farms Championship. After shooting a first round 78, he then DQ'd himself.

He said in a tweet, "I've finally called it a day. Don't really enjoy golf anymore as a profession. The DQ was my decision . But at the end, I've had enough!"

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