“I know I didn’t cheat”: Mark Hensby responds to PGA Tour doping ban
The PGA Tour has banned Mark Hensby for one-year for failing to provide a drug test sample.
Mark Hensby has responded to the one-year ban placed on him by the PGA Tour for failing to provide urine sample for a drug test.
Hensby who is ranked well outside the top-1000 ranked golfers in the world refused to provide a urine sample after a 6-over 78 opening round at the Sanderson Farms PGA tournament in October.
The 46-year-old had a break-out year in 2005 finishing top-10 at the Masters and the US Open as well as a 15th place at The Open Championship, but he has been battling form ever since.
Today Hensby released a statement via Golf Digest’s Brian Wacker and in part explained what had happened:
“While walking down to the testing area I was prepared to take the blood test. When we arrived at the facility I was required to sign a document and a gentleman informed that I was only required to take a urine test.
I was fully prepared to take the blood test because I knew it was going to be a relatively quick procedure. However I had just urinated on the 8th hole, my 17th hole that day, and knew that I was probably unable to complete the urine test for at least a couple more hours. By this time it was already approximately 6:30 pm. Already frustrated and projecting having to sit around for another two hours, i told this gentleman that I would complete the test in the morning prior to my early morning tee time.”
Hensby today chatted to Rod Morri on the iseekgolf.com podcast to respond and explain the situation further.
In short it sounds like a stupid decision in the middle of a tantrum after he walked off the golf course.
“Being called a drug cheat, that’s a little harsh in the fact that, if I’m cheat, what am I cheating at because my record over the last three years is, I think people can look it up and see that I’ve made probably 20-something thousand dollars.
I had nothing to hide but I know what it looks like and unfortunately the way it was put out there, especially in certain media circles, it makes me look like I’m doing something but at the end of the day that’s my fault and I take full responsibility.
I know I didn’t cheat.”
Listen to the full chat with Rod Morri at iseekgolf.com below:
The PGA Tour announced yesterday that Australian golfer Mark Hensby would be suspended for one year after failing to provide a drug test urine sample.
The PGA Tour’s short statement read:
“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.
The Tour will have no further comment on the suspension at this time.”
And for the record, here is Hensby’s full statement via Brian Wacker:
Statement from @HensbyMark on being suspended 1 year by @PGATOUR for violating anti-doping policy … pic.twitter.com/4eF742KViv
— Brian Wacker (@brianwacker1) December 12, 2017
