AIG Women’s Open: As the AIG Women’s Open debuts at the storied links, Muirfield finally opens its doors to the best and brightest female players in the world.
It will be the first major event for men or women to be staged at the East Lothian course since Phil Mickelson won The Open in 2013 in addition to being the first women’s event to be contested there.
An attempt to allow women to join the male-only Honourable Company, which was rejected in 2016, has caused a protracted delay. Before the R&A removed Muirfield from The Open rotation, the decision prompted sharp criticism from Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other local MPs.
In a subsequent poll conducted over the course of the next year, 80% of respondents supported the admittance of female members, paving the way for this summer’s event.
“It’s great. I think the ladies should be on rotations that we play on,” said 1995 Open winner John Daly. “These golf courses that we play and they’ve played the British Opens over all these years, it’s kind of almost a home, especially with six or seven of eight of them in Scotland.
“I know they don’t want to go back, but it would be great to see Turnberry again on the rotation. What daddy (Donald) Trump has done to that place, I heard is amazing. They’ll enjoy it. Muirfield is a hard golf course, but it’s fair. They’ll enjoy it.”
Former world No 1 Ernie Els added: “Obviously a great venue, wonderful history. Great to see the women playing at Muirfield. It’s wonderful to see them play there. That’s one of my favourites obviously. Obviously this one and Muirfield and Lytham, they stand out for me.”
“Muirfield is a great place for myself. I won the Scottish Amateur there a few years ago. It’s such a great golf course, I think it had to open up to the world,” he said. “I think it had to get on terms with the world, life, by allowing women into the golf. You know what, they’re going to get a treat when they go there and get to compete on such a great golf course.”
“Golf’s a real old game, and there’s still a few traditions in there that will change over the next decade and I’m sure they’re trying to change and now obviously playing at Muirfield,” said Willett. “That place is a fantastic golf course.
“We had great fun when we played The Open there when Phil won. It’s a phenomenal golf course. It’s nice they got the opportunity, and they’re going to get a great winner there.”
The top female golfers in the world never playing Muirfield would “be unfair,” according to former Masters champion Danny Willett.
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