Gary Player, one of the legends of golf, has marked the start of this year's Open Championship at Carnoustie by declaring that performance-enhancing drugs are rife among world players.

The South African who won three Opens, the first of them at Carnoustie 38 years ago, said he knows several top golfers are developing their physiques by taking human-growth hormones, steroids, and creatine, though only the first two are prohibited by international sports bodies.

Despite these fears, the winner of the world's leading tournament on Sunday will not be tested after receiving the first prize of £750,000 and the coveted old silver claret jug that could lead to millions more in appearance fees and endorsements.

Player, 71, said: "The greatest thing the R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews), the United States Golf Association and the Professional Golfers' Association can do is to have tests at random. It's absolutely essential that we do that. We're dreaming if we think it's not going to come into golf."

Golf is the last major world sport that has yet to introduce a drug-testing programme, but all world tours and organisations are now agreed that it is to happen. Some believe it should be in place next year and others in 2009 to allow a year for player education.

Although golf has a loose connection with the Olympic movement that insists drug-testing programmes must be in place for all eligible sports, there is no real desire among the top world