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NO drug-testing will take place at the Open this July but there will be a tough stance taken on slow play - and mobile phones hidden in sandwiches.

Plans for the championship to become the first major to enforce the sport's soon-to-be-introduced anti-doping policy have been abandoned by the Royal and Ancient Club.

Chief executive Peter Dawson admitted the delay was slightly unsatisfactory''.

He explained that the Open's global qualifying system was the main reason. Events have already taken place in Asia, South Africa and Australia and not all players at the events have had the same education programme as in Europe and America.

We played a leading role in the development of a policy of which we are very proud,'' stated Dawson.

But it is very important players understand what it is about and given that quite a number of players do not play on the PGA or European Tours we decided that there will not be testing at the Open this year. But we very much hope and intend to start next year. If the Open was in October we would probably be drug-testing this year.'' On slow play the R&A were horrified at what they witnessed at the Masters this month. On the final day Trevor Immelman and Brandt Snedeker took five hours 10 minutes to complete 18 holes.

We are concerned about it,'' he commented. It's not just at major events. It's the effect it has at grassroots level. We'd like to look at educating players and penalising them.'' The introduction of a ban on mobile telephones last year was deemed a success and will continue at Birkdale, hopefully with no repeat of the incident that saw one spectator smuggle a phone through the gates in a sandwich.

It was taken off him, yet he tried again later in the day with it in his shoe.

The ban came after Tiger Woods repeatedly had to back off shots at Hoylake two years ago.

The world number one will again be the top attraction, but fans hoping the R&A will order him to delay the start of his early morning practice sessions are almost certain to be disappointed.

It has become the Woods way to get out on the links before spectators are even let in at 6.30am. I know why he does it and I understand why fans are disappointed, but I would not anticipate a change,'' said Dawson

10:53am Wednesday 30th April 2008

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