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Ben An has been playing consistently on the PGA Tour for several seasons, however, he won't be seen in action anytime soon due to his recent suspension. The 32-year-old was suspended for violating the tour's anti-doping policy.
The final decision was taken on Wednesday when the PGA Tour came out with a statement explaining the complete situation. Ben An had a successful season this year and is ranked 53rd in the Official World Golf Rankings. However, he will miss the entirety of the PGA Tour fall schedule after testing positive for a prohibited substance contained in a South Korean cough medicine.
“An tested positive for a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency contained in a cough medicine available over the counter in his native Korea."
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The PGA Tour added via a statement:
"He has cooperated fully with the tour throughout the process and accepted his suspension.”
According to the statement, Ben An has fully cooporated with the decision made by the PGA Tour and will complete his suspension before entering the tour at the end of this year or the start of next year.
Ben An takes complete responsibility of his actions following his suspension
After his suspension, the South Korean professional golfer gave his side of the story via his Instagram stories.
The 32-year-old golfer was suffering from cold and cough and took the widely available medicine to counteract the growing symptoms. Additionally, he also pointed out that he didn't use the medication to gain a competitive advantage in the sport.
“In August, I was suffering from a head cold and cough. As my symptoms worsened, my mother suggested I take a widely available medication from Korea that had helped her through a similar ailment. I took this medicine without checking its contents first only to later find that it contained a substance that is prohibited under the PGA Tour’s anti-doping program."
Ben An added via Instagram stories:
"I regret not being more thorough in my decision-making and take full responsibility for my actions."
Ben finished 44th in the FedEx Cup rankings at the end of the 2022-23 season while also having 12 top-25 finishes thoughout the entire season. Additionally, he was also tied for second place at the Wyndham Championship and lost out to Lucas Glover.
