Australian golfer Wayne Perske has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of cocaine possession, Australia's media reported on Sunday.

The 36-year-old professional is in Japan for the Bridgestone Open Championship, while he was arrested on late Friday.

According to ABC News, a spokesman for Chiba Central Police Department said Perske has been suspected of possessing 1.25 grams (0.044 ounces) of cocaine at a bar in Tokyo.

A customer at the bar late Friday reported to the police that a foreigner had a suspicious substance, leading officers to search and arrest Perske.

In Japan, possession of illegal drugs can carry a penalty of up to seven years in prison.

Perske, who won a Japanese tour event in 2006, lost in the preliminary round of the Bridgestone Open, which began on Thursday, in Chiba, southeast of Tokyo, Japan.