THE MASTERS

Seasoned thrower tests positive

The Masters was poised for a second round thriller ith LIV Golf standard bearer Bryson DeChambeau sitting one shot clear of topranked Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods searching for some of his old major magic.

A marathon day at Augusta National began early on Friday with 27 golfers pulling double duty by finishing up weatherdelayed first rounds before heading right back out onto a sun bathed layout. With the first round complete, the stage was set for plenty of golfing drama up and down the leaderboard.

DeChambeau used a sizzling burst of late birdies to muscle his way to sevenunder 65 on Thursday while Scheffler also rode a late birdie blitz to card a bogeyfree sixunderpar 66.

Masters debutant Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark and World No. 11 Max Homa were two shots behind the leader.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, in a highprofile group with Scheffler and Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, was on 71 as he makes a 10th attempt at completing a career Grand Slam of Majors.

Defending champion Jon Rahm had a lacklustre opening oneover 73.

The winner of five Green Jackets Woods finished opening round on oneover 73.

Leading scores: 65: Bryson DeChambeau (USA); 66: Scottie Scheffler (USA); 67: Max Homa (USA), Nicolai Hoejgaard (Den); 68: Danny Willett (Eng); 69: Cameron Davis (Aus), Ryan Fox (NZ).

A seasoned and wellknown thrower has tested positive for clomiphene, a drug used to treat infertility in women.

Sources said the athlete, a former Asian Games gold medallist, was tested out of competition on February 16 in Gurugram and returned a positive result for clomiphene. She has not been provisionally suspended and is allowed to compete.

According to USA AntiDoping Agency’s (USADA’s) substance profile, to use clomiphene the “athletes may apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), which gives them permission to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method for a specified time period.

“Similar to other drugs, clomiphene and its metabolites may persist in an athlete’s body well after treatment has been completed, so it’s important that an athlete apply for a TUE for clomiphene in advance of using this medication, regardless of the reasons for its prescription and use.”

It is not clear whether the thrower has applied for TUE.

This is the third time the athlete has tested positive in her career spanning more than two decades.