It will be quite a while before Muirfield gets to host another British Open.
The Scottish golf club voted Thursday against allowing women to join after failing to reach the two-thirds majority needed to change membership rules. The results of the voted prompted the Royal & Ancient, which runs The Open, to immediately remove Muirfield from the major tournament’s host venue rotation.
“We have consistently said that it is a matter for the Honourable Company to conduct a review of its membership policy and that we would await their decision,” the Royal & Ancient said in a statement, per ESPN.com “The R&A has considered today’s decision with respect to The Open Championship. The Open is one of the world’s great sporting events and going forward we will not stage the Championship at a venue that does not admit women as members.
“Given the schedule for staging The Open, it would be some years before Muirfield would have been considered to host the Championship again. If the policy at the club should change we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue for The Open in future.”
LPGA commissioner Michael Whan commended the decision.
Thank you @RandA for the quick and decisive decision, and for sending a clear message for/about our sport!
— Michael Whan (@USGAMike) May 19, 2016
Muirfield is one of 10 golf clubs in the rotation to host The Open. Only one other, Royal Troon, where the 2016 Open will be held, still bans women members. However, Royal Troon has a separate club for women and is consulting members about changing that policy.
A couple of the other clubs in the rotation were late to the inclusion party, too, as St. Andrews began allowing women in 2014, and Royal St. George’s only invited women last year. But as for Muirfield, it doesn’t sound as though they’re going to make changes any time soon.
“It is accepted that we may have to change, but we should not do so now on the basis suggested,” a campaign letter against allowing women reportedly said, per U.K. media reports. “A traditional resistance to change is one of the foundations of our unique position in golf and our reputation.”
Thumbnail photo via Paul Cunningham/USA TODAY Sports Images
