The Royal and Ancient Golf Club have formally abandoned their ban on women competing in the Open Championship.
Their decision came on the day teenage sensation Michelle Wie made her professional debut.
Next year’s entry form will no longer restrict the event to ”any male professional golfer” or ”male amateur golfer whose playing handicap does not exceed scratch”.
Instead, any woman finishing in the top five of any of their four majors can try for the Open at Hoylake next July through regional and final qualifying.
In addition, any women meeting the entry requirements for international qualifying, final qualifying and the Open itself can enter at these stages directly.
For instance, if 16-year-old Wie was again invited to the John Deere Classic and was the leading non-exempt player she would go straight through to compete in the Open.
The other women’s majors are all in the United States — the Kraft Nabisco Championship, McDonalds LPGA Championship (Wie was runner-up to Sorenstam in that this year) and the US Women’s Open.
Regional qualifying is an 18-hole competition at venues in Britain and Ireland on July 3 and those successful at that go through to 36-hole final qualifying around Hoylake the week before the Open.
Sports Minister Richard Caborn said: ”I really do welcome this. I think it’s an important step forward for women’s sport. The Open really is now truly open. Everybody can play in it regardless of their sex. I think the R&A have listened to what people think and I’m very pleased they are changing the rules.” – Sapa-AFP