The Claret Jug is presented to the winner of the Open Championship
For several years now, the R&A, responsible for governing the rules of golf worldwide, has been on a mission to grow the game globally and make the Open Championship a truly globalised event. Hence the No 1 player on the Asian Tour final rankings each year for the past two decades receives a highly coveted automatic invitation to the main draw of the Open. But in a surprise development, the R&A has withdrawn this exemption. The R&A did not provide an official reason for the change.
“We review and update our exemptions from time to time and any changes are considered carefully by our championships committee,” an R& A spokesperson has been quoted as saying to Golf Australia magazine.
The outcome of the decision is that South Korea’s Joohyung Kim, who comfortably topped the cumulative Asian Tour rankings in January 2022 with earnings of USD 507, 553, will not be awarded a place in the 150th British Open at St. Andrews this July. This is a huge blow to international relations between the R&A and the Asian Tour, which is trying to develop the professional game in the continent of Asia.
The lack of an official reason has led to speculation that the decision was influenced by the Asian Tour’s acceptance of $300 million in funding from the Saudi backed LIV Golf Investments.
LIV Golf Investments is also the organisation behind the proposed Saudi Golf League, which has been vociferously opposed by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. The PGA Tour has threatened to ban players who sign up for the Saudi League.
If the speculation is accurate, it would mark the first concrete step in the battle between the tours. The R&A could put an end to the speculation by explaining why it removed the exemption, but that is unlikely. Scott Hend, the 2016 Asian Tour Rankings winner who is second on the Asian Tour’s all-time money earnings list, is one player who believes the Asian Tour is being punished for doing what’s best for its members.
“When all was going on my exact words to Asian Tour CEO Cho (Minn Thant) was not to worry about what the PGA Tour and European Tour want you to do,” Hend told Global Golf Post. You just need to look after your membership, first and foremost. And that’s what he has done. And now they are trying to put sanctions on the tour. I was bitterly disappointed with the R&A’s decision to take away the Asian Tour Order of Merit winner’s spot at the Open Championship. It just reeks of fiddling in the background by these major tours and influencing the R&A. It is inappropriate.”
The Asian Tour has not commented on the move by the R&A either. However there still remains an alternate route from the Asian Tour to the Open. As Golf Monthly points out, the winners of the following three tournaments on the Asian Tour – SMBC Singapore Open (co-sanctioned with Japan Tour), Kolon Korea Open (Korean Golf Association) and the recently added New Zealand Open (PGA Tour of Australasia) – all qualify for St. Andrews.
Time will tell whether the R&A will stand up for what’s right or continue to bow down to the might of the PGA and European Tours who have drawn swords against the Asian Tour.
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Photo – Golf Digest