The R&A Chief Executive, Martin Slumbers, will announce his exact plans for LIV Golfers in early 2023
The R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers reiterated that LIV golfers will be eligible for the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England in July 2023. “We’ll go public in January/February with what we are going to do with regard to LIV golfers. But if you want a guide, go back to what I said in July. We’re not banning anyone. We are not going to betray 150 years of history and have the Open not be open.
“What we will do is ensure that there are appropriate pathways and ways to qualify. I’m looking forward to seeing Cam Smith tee up around 9:40 a.m. on the first day of the Open next year. The Open needs to set itself aside from what’s going in terms of disagreements and make sure we stay true to our principle, which is to have the best players in the world competing.”
When asked about the current state of the game and the dispute between the traditional Tours and the LIV Tour, Slumbers said, “To me, this is not about ‘them and us.’ I have no issue with the players. People play for a living. I note that Saudi Arabia wants to invest a lot of money in the game I love and care about,” he said. “That’s a good thing. But I want to preserve the pathways and meritocracy on which our game is built. Sport without that isn’t sport. So I want to make sure we have the best players competing week in and week out.
“If the game is not played with high value and respect, I have no chance to grow the game. Maybe the consequence of where we are is that we only get to see all of the very best players together four times a year. So we’ll enjoy it four times a year.”
There has been speculation that the majors would follow the PGA Tour and ban LIV golfers from participating, but at least in the case of The Open, it’s clear that won’t happen. The U.S. Open is also unlikely to prevent players from entering, as it too is an “open championship”, meaning it is open to anyone who wants to try to qualify.
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Photo – ESPN