World number one Tiger Woods insists compulsory drug testing is essential to ensure a clean sport in the wake of the one-year ban handed out to American journeyman Doug Barron.
The PGA Tour announced earlier this week that Barron had violated the anti-doping policy on the use of performance-enhancing substances, becoming the first player to be banned after golf introduced testing in June last year.
The European Tour have insisted there have been no failures in Europe, with the anti-doping programme continuing at this week's World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
'I heard about it [Barron's ban] today. It's unfortunate, but that is one of the reasons why we have the policy to make sure no-one does anything that's improper for the game of golf and I think that it is great that we have the policy in place,' said Woods.
'I don't know if he tested for performance-enhancing or recreational, but the whole idea is to keep our sport clean and that is why we created the policy and it has been executed and unfortunately one player didn't obey the policy.'
Further details of Barron's case have not been announced.
The 40-year-old, who has never won in 238 appearances on the PGA Tour, has apologised but insisted he never intend to gain an unfair advantage.
Barron was playing on the Nationwide Tour this year on a medical exemption and is known to have taken medication in the past for several conditions.
World number two Phil Mickelson, who is also in the field in Shanghai this week, was sympathetic towards Barron.
'I don't know the details of it. I know that we have been tested numerous times throughout the last year and a half since the policy has been in place. But I don't know the specifics,' he said.
'I would venture to say that there was some sort of mix-up. Just knowing my fellow players, I don't think they would do anything to try to skirt the rules.
'I've never really thought of Doug Baron as an Arnold Schwarzenegger-type body. So I'm guessing, not knowing any details, that there was probably some kind of confusion or misunderstanding.'
Speaking about this week's tournament, Woods said he believes a tried and tested winning mentality can allow him to maintain an impressive success rate in World Golf Championships events at this week's HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
The 33-year-old world number one headlines the star-studded field at Sheshan International Golf Club.
And after claiming a 16th WGC title in 30 events played at this level at August's Bridgestone Invitational, Woods will hope the newly-elevated status of the event will inspire him. He finished runner-up in his previous two HSBC Champions appearances in 2005 and 2006.
'I am looking forward to the week, I think everyone is,' Woods said.
'This now becoming a World Golf Championship, I think everyone is very excited about it and excited about what it means in the scope of things, not just in China, but the whole of Asia. As a player, we are looking forward to playing this golf course against such a great field.
'I have a simple strategy, and that is to finish lower than anyone else. It is just one of those things that I have enjoyed playing against such great fields.
'That's the whole idea of the World Golf Championships, so it is not only the majors when we all get together, it's now these World Golf events. It's great to get together with these guys, and for some reason I have had some good results.'
Even with a host of players opting out of the tournament, many of them Americans partly down to the fact the event will not count as an official victory on the PGA Tour, 20 of the world's top 30 will line up tomorrow in the strongest field ever assembled in Asia.
World number nine Sergio Garcia returns to defend the title he won last year after defeating Ryder Cup team-mate Oliver Wilson in a sudden-death play-off, while current leader Lee Westwood headlines 14 of the top 15 in the Race to Dubai standings - with the European Tour season set to reach an exciting and potentially lucrative climax over the next three weeks.
'I think this tournament was great before, now it's even better. It's taken a step to a higher level,' said Garcia, who is currently 11th in the Race to Dubai.
'It had some very good players before, now it's probably a little deeper field. When you talk about a World Golf Championships event, it's always a little bit special so it definitely brings something else to the table.
'As a defending champion it brings confidence, it brings me good thoughts. It's a course where I have done well, so it's always a positive thing.
'There is no doubt you are thinking about defending your title, but if I didn't win last year, I would be standing here trying to win the title again so the main goal is still the same.'
