Tiger seeks medication help

ON THE day the PGa Tour announced it was introducing widespread changes to its drugs policy, Tiger woods caught the mood by saying he is receiving professional help to manage his prescription medications. The 14-time major champion shocked the world three weeks ago when he was found asleep at the wheel of his Mercedes in south Florida in the early hours with the engine running. He spent four hours in jail and was charged with driving under the influence. woods, who had not been drinking alcohol, said he had an ‘unexpected reaction to prescribed medications.’ In a brief Twitter statement yesterday, woods said he was receiving the treatment to help with the ‘ways that I deal with back pain and a sleep disorder.’ His manager Mark steinberg told EsPN that woods was receiving in-patient treatment. ‘Tiger has been dealing with so much pain physically, and that leads to the insomnia issues,’ he said. ‘This has been going on for a long time.’ The rumours have long been rife in the game that woods had become addicted to the powerful painkiller Vicodin. Meanwhile, the impressive new PGa Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has left his first imprint by revealing changes to its drugs policy that move the game closer to other major sports. Blood testing will be introduced from next season and the tour will revise its banned list to include ‘all of the substances and methods’ prohibited by the world antiDoping agency. It used to be said there was no drug that could help a golfer but, with its emphasis on fitness, that view hardly stands up in the modern power game. Monahan is also doing away with the policy of not revealing player suspensions for recreational drug use. ‘These changes will protect the well-being of our members,’ said Monahan. The European Tour will now come under pressure to follow suit.