R&A announce Muirfield back on Open rota

Tournament organiser The Royal and Ancient said previous year that it would not stage The Open at a venue that did not admit women as members.

The decision, approved by just more than 80 percent of the club’s members, comes a little less than a year after they voted to continue to restrict membership to men.

But women will face a test of patience before becoming members, with the waiting list for new candidates now estimated to be at least two years.

Within minutes of Muirfield’s announcement of the results, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers welcomed the 16-time Open host back to the rotation.

However, on the back of today’s decision, the R&A has already confirmed that Muirfield will be able to host the iconic event once more. But they have changed their rules since the R&A’s decision, leaving Muirfield as one of the final holdouts.

The course is the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, who claim to be one of the oldest in the world (founded in 1744). And some of the other big tournaments that have played Muirfield in the past seemed likely to bail; after all, even the Masters lets women in these days, this being the 21st century and all.

The course, south of Edinburgh, isn’t due to host the Open until 2022 at the earliest.

The club’s committee supported allowing female members and proposed another postal ballot at a special general meeting of members.

Members voted down the proposal to allow female members last May, after which it was immediately prohibited by golf’s ruling body – the Royal and Ancient {R&A] – from hosting the prestigious Open Championship. Look forward to seeing you host the Open again in future.

Muirfield has been restored to the list of Open Championship venues after its members voted to admit women into their ranks at the second time of asking.

One member told the Guardian: “In the wake of the last vote, it became very clear to members that, while we are a club, there are wider implications at play here”. They were admitted as guests but not as members. And we know the story of Augusta National and its long journey to add women members.