Muirfield back in Open rotation after finally voting to admit female members
A mainstay in the Open rotation, Muirfield was recently banned but is now back in the R&A's good graces
By
Kyle Porter
•
1 min read
It has been nearly a year since Muirfield was yanked from the list of courses that can host the British Open. Now the club has decided to reverse its policy against female members that got it pulled in the first place.
It voted this week to allow women to be members of its club going forward.
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which runs the course, voted 64% for and 36% against widening the membership to women last May, falling just short of the two-thirds majority required for the club to change its constitution.
On Tuesday, that hurdle was overcome – meaning the course can now return to the rota for the Open Championship, which it last staged in 2013.
Apparently the vote cleared the two-thirds majority needed ... but not by a lot.
Astounding 20% of Muirfield members still didn’t want women members - but issue is now put to rest and great course returns to Open rota
— Iain Carter (@iaincartergolf) March 14, 2017
The R&A released an official statement allowing Muirfield back into the rotation of courses that hosts the Open.
“In light of today’s decision by the Honourable Company we can confirm that Muirfield will become a venue for the Open once again,” R&A CEO Martin Slumbers said. “Murifield has a long and important history of hosting the Open and with today’s announcement that will continue.
“It is extremely important in staging one of the world’s great sporting events that women can become members at all our host clubs. Muirfield is a truly Open venue and we very much look forward to taking the Championship back there in the future.”
Muirfield last hosted the British Open in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won. It has hosted 16 Opens dating to 1892.
