Tag: R&A

Englishman Joe Long ‘chuffed’ after winning British Amateur at Royal Birkdale

Joe Long became the first Englishman to collect the R&A’s British Amateur trophy since 2017.

Joe Long became the first Englishman to collect the R&A’s British Amateur trophy since 2017. There were few there to see it Sunday at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, thanks to pandemic protocols, but Long defeated good friend Joe Harvey in the scheduled 36-hole final to put his name in golf lore.

The day started out relatively slowly at Royal Birkdale, with both players matching pars for the first four holes. But when Long began to build his advantage with a birdie to win the fifth hole, he kept it going. In fact, Long never trailed throughout the day.

Long went into the afternoon 18 with a 2-up advantage, though he quickly lost it as Harvey won the first hole with par. Birdies at Nos. 6 and 7 were key for Long in the afternoon, and once he got Harvey 4 down on the 29th hole, he held him there.

Long had a 30-footer for birdie on the 32nd hole that would have sealed the match, but ultimately won when he and Harvey matched birdies on No. 15, the 33rd hole of the day.

“That sounds amazing, 125th Amateur Champion has quite a nice ring to it,” Long told the R&A. “I was feeling nervous, we both were. My game plan was just to try and stick in the present as much as I could, forget about all the rewards and benefits that come with winning.

“I hit a few ropey shots in the first round, but I started to tee my driver down and get it back in play. I felt like I was pretty solid overall. This afternoon again I was hitting driver well and holed a few nice putts as well which was cool. I just had it in play all the time and felt in control.”

Long, ranked No. 102 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, started his year with a top-10 at the South American Amateur before playing a handful of early-spring events in South Africa. Most recently, he advanced to the quarterfinals at the English Amateur.

For his win, the 23-year-old Long gained exemptions into the British Open at Royal St George’s next year, and by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament and an exemption into the U.S. Open.

“Wow, when you say all the exemptions. It still hasn’t hit me. It’s going to be incredible,” Long told the R&A. “This is what I have worked hard for since I started playing golf. I really stuck in there and battled, I am just so chuffed with it really.”

As for Harvey, it was a long week but a rewarding week, even if he wasn’t the last man standing.

“If you had said at the beginning of the week that I would be in the final I don’t think I would have believed you. I am really chuffed with the way I have played all week,” he said.

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R&A clears Lexi Thompson of rules violation at Royal Troon

Lexi Thompson was cleared of a rules violation on the 16th hole at Royal Troon during the first round of the Women’s British Open.

The R&A has released a statement regarding Lexi Thompson’s actions on the 16th hole in the first round of the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon. As Thompson set up to hit her second shot on the par 5, she used her club to poke at a tuft of grass situated behind her ball.

The R&A looked into the incident, which was televised on Thursday, and released the following statement:

Yesterday, as part of its normal TV review procedures, The R&A viewed Lexi Thompson’s actions prior to playing her second shot at the 16th hole in round one of the AIG Women’s Open. 

Following a discussion between Chief Referee David Rickman and the player prior to her signing her scorecard it was determined that, although the player had moved a growing natural object behind her ball, it had returned to its original position. 

Therefore, the lie of the ball was not improved and there was no breach of Rule 8.1.

Thompson went on to birdie the 16th hole, her only birdie in an opening round of 78.

 

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USGA, R&A put distance debate on hold until March 2021

Golf’s distance debate will continue in March of 2021 as ruling bodies delay any announcements in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Will golf’s ruling bodies roll back the distance golf balls travel, or take other steps to contain yardage gains at the elite professional levels? As when watching Bryson DeChambeau hit tee shots, you’ll just have to wait a little longer for the next stage of distance studies to land.

The United States Golf Association and the R&A have delayed any further release of information in their study of the distance debate in golf until March of 2021, the governing bodies announced Monday.

The USGA and R&A released the initial phase of their combined Distance Insights Project in February of 2020 with a report that determined that distance is playing an excessive role in the game and causing the sport to go in an unsustainable direction. That Distance Insights Report signaled potential changes in the equipment rules could come in the next several years, with significant time for research and evaluation before any action.

But the global coronavirus pandemic put all those plans on hold as the industry works to stabilize.

The ruling bodies released this statement Monday:

“Given continued health concerns and the impact on golf worldwide, the R&A and the USGA are now targeting March 2021 for the release of equipment research topics. We will continue to monitor the recovery of the golf industry and may update this target date accordingly. In accordance with the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures, the time for golf equipment manufacturers and other interested parties to participate in this research will also be amended to account for the delay.

Until then, the R&A and the USGA will continue to monitor the effects of distance on the game.

The incredible distances that top male professionals hit the ball was on full display at the PGA Championship that concluded Sunday in San Francisco, with 320-plus-yard tee shots a fairly common occurrence. Much of the buzz in golf over the past several months has centered on DeChambeau’s transformation into a monster driver of the ball.

The ruling bodies have stated they want such focus on distance to end. Citing the Rules of Golf, the February report stated, “golf is a challenging game in which success should depend on the player’s judgment, skill and abilities.”

And beyond the PGA Tour, there are other considerations such as the use of more land to build longer courses and the consumption of natural resources such as water to maintain more acreage of grass.

On the flip side are some who believe distance attracts more fans to PGA Tour coverage. They also point out that recreational players have not gained the kinds of distance seen at the elite levels. Several golf equipment manufacturers also have expressed skepticism at rolling back yardage that was gained under current rules.

Where is it all headed? Check back in March.

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Women’s British announces extended sponsorship to 2025, new branding

The Women’s British Open has a new name and sponsorship has been extended through 2025.

At a time when tournament schedules around the world keep shrinking and uncertainty rules the day, AIG has delivered some reassurance to the women’s golf world. The company announced on Wednesday its commitment to extend title sponsorship of the AIG Women’s Open by two years to 2025.

The R&A and AIG also announced a rebrand of the event’s name. It will now be known as the AIG Women’s Open, dropping “British” from the title to align with the men’s Open Championship. The event, now owned by the R&A, has been around since 1976 and was elevated to a major in 2001.

“I am so grateful that AIG has continued to support women’s golf, particularly in the face of a pandemic,” said 2018 champion Georgia Hall in a statement. “It shows their dedication and support of us as athletes which we greatly appreciate.”

Georgia Hall the 2018 champion of the AIG Women’s Open. (R&A)

The first LPGA major of the year will be played Aug. 20-23 at Royal Troon without spectators. It will be the fourth event played after the LPGA’s COVID-19 break. The tour is set to restart next week in Ohio at the Drive On LPGA Championship.

“AIG proudly stands as allies with these accomplished players, and with women in business and society,” said Peter Zaffino, President & Global Chief Operating Officer, AIG in a statement. “In the face of challenging global circumstances, we are pleased that our increased support of the AIG Women’s Open will enable these dedicated professionals to compete and break down barriers that will provide a lasting example for future generations.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said the new name reflects the championship’s growing stature and broadening international appeal.

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WAGR event aging will resume in July as summer amateur tournaments come back

After reviewing the number of upcoming elite amateur events, the USGA and R&A have decided to restart the WAGR event aging process.

The past week was a big one for amateur golf as the North & South played out at Pinehurst Nos. 2 and 4. The North & South Women’s Amateur will follow beginning July 14 and with that, the summer amateur calendar – albeit modified – is off and running in the U.S.

With play beginning to restart, the R&A and USGA have issued a joint update on the status of the World Amateur Golf Ranking. After reviewing the number of elite amateur events planned for the coming weeks, the governing bodies have decided to restart the aging process within the rankings system on July 8.

A player’s position in the WAGR is based on events in a rolling 104-week window. The WAGR underwent an algorithm change at the start of the year designed to make the ranking a better indication of a player’s current form. Under the new method, only points from events within the most recent 52 weeks of a player’s record count at full value. From there, event points are reduced proportionately, approximately two percent, per week before their removal after 104 weeks.

The USGA and R&A announced a pause in the tournament aging process on April 9, but rankings updates were still published each week to reflect other changes.

The WAGR is particularly important for players this year. Note that the rankings as of June 24 were used to determine WAGR-based exemptions into the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The top seven ranked male players in the WAGR (not otherwise qualified) as of Aug. 19 earn a spot in the U.S. Open. The top 20 women from the WAGR as of Nov. 4, 2020, who are not otherwise exempt within the top 100 of the ranking, will earn a spot in the U.S. Women’s Open.

Monday’s rankings announcement from the R&A and USGA also included new dates for determining the 2020 Mark H. McCormack Medal winners, an honor awarded to the top-ranked male and female player each year. The men’s medal-winner will be determined based on the Sept. 9 update (week 36) while the women’s medal-winner will be determined by Oct. 7 update (week 40).

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R&A announces changes, cancellations to amateur events

The golf world continues to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic and the latest series of tournament changes comes from the R&A.

The golf world continues to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic and the latest series of tournament changes comes from the R&A, which made an announcement on Wednesday on a slew of amateur events planned for this summer.

The update comes a little more than three weeks after the 2020 Open Championship was canceled by the R&A.

Rescheduled events

  • R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship, Southport & Ainsdale, Aug. 11-15 (as scheduled)
  • R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship, Moortown and Alwoodley, Aug. 11-16 (as scheduled)
  • R&A Women’s Senior Amateur Championship, Ashridge, Aug. 19-21 (as scheduled)
  • Women’s Amateur Championship, Kilmarnock (Barassie), rescheduled from June 23-27 to Aug. 25-29
  • Amateur Championship, Royal Birkdale and West Lancashire, rescheduled from June 15-20 to Aug. 25-30
  • R&A Senior Amateur Championship, Royal Cinque Ports (Deal), rescheduled from July 29-31 to Sept. 23-25

The R&A added that these events will depend on how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop.

Canceled events

  • R&A Junior Open at Littlestone
  • St. Andrews Troph
  • R&A Boys’ Home Internationals
  • R&A Women’s and Girls’ Home Internationals
  • Junior Vagliano Trophy and The Jacques Leglise Trophy
  • R&A Men’s and Women’s Senior Home Internationals

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WAGR calculations adjusted as golf world remains on pause

The R&A and USGA have addressed how the current break in competition will be reflected in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

When professional golf went on hiatus last month due to the coronavirus, rankings officials paused in place the Official World Golf Ranking and the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking. The R&A and USGA have now addressed how the current break in competition will be reflected in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. The two bodies have announced a pause in the ageing process for events on players’ records.

According to a statement from the governing bodies, the decision to pause the event ageing process “was made to ensure players who are unable to play are not unduly disadvantaged. During the ageing pause, a player’s average will not change unless their record has.”

A player’s position in the WAGR is based on events in a rolling 104-week window. The WAGR underwent an algorithm change at the start of the year designed to make the ranking a better indication of a player’s current form. Under the new method, only points from events within the most recent 52 weeks of a player’s record count at full value. From there, event points are reduced proportionately, approximately two percent, per week before their removal after 104 weeks.

The WAGR rankings will continue to be published each week to reflect any other changes. The rankings – and the competitive golf landscape in general – will continue to be monitored with the intent to restart the event ageing process from the point it was paused when golf returns.

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, a freshman at the University of South Carolina, remains the top-ranked female amateur while Japan’s Takumi Kanaya, who was playing in the Masters this time last year as the reigning Asia-Pacific Amateur champion, tops the men’s ranking.

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2020 Open Championship canceled in wake of coronavirus pandemic

The Open Championship, golf’s final major of 2020, is now off the calendar, canceled by the R&A in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

First, it was Augusta National postponing the Masters.

Next in the postponement crosshairs was the PGA Championship at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park. The U.S. Open was then put in jeopardy when an executive order closed Winged Foot, halting all preparations.

The coronavirus outbreak has now reached the doors of Royal St. George’s with the R&A announcing on Monday that the 149th Open Championship has been canceled. The British Open was scheduled for July 16-19, which would have been the final major championship of 2020.

Next year’s Open will be played at Royal St. George’s July 11-18, 2021, so the 150th playing in 2022 will still be held at the Old Course, July 10-17.

The last time the Open was not contested was from 1940-1945 because of World War II. St. Andrews hosted the 1939 Open and then served as host for the return of competition in 1946. The Open was also not held from 1915-1919 due to World War I.

Last week, the R&A and USGA jointly announced the Curtis Cup, a female amateur biennial team match, was being moved back a year from its originally scheduled dates of June 12-14, 2020.

These moves come on the heels of the cancellation of the most important Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year. In a move that had been signaled strongly over the last week, the All England Club canceled Wimbledon for 2020, citing the “likely trajectory” of the coronavirus outbreak in the United Kingdom and the logistical impossibility of setting up the event at a point later in the summer.

It will be the first time Wimbledon hasn’t crowned a champion since the tournament paused between 1940 and 1945 due to World War II.

USA TODAY Sports’ Dan Wolken contributed to this article.

Curtis Cup, originally scheduled for June, pushed to 2021

The USGA and R&A jointly decided not to hold the June matches in Wales, instead pushing them to 2021.

This month was supposed to end with the eight-woman U.S. Curtis Cup team being revealed. Now, any player eyeing a spot on that team will have to wait until 2021 to compete. The USGA and R&A jointly announced on Wednesday that due to the evolving dynamics of the coronavirus pandemic, the biennial team match was being moved from its originally scheduled dates of June 12-14 at Conwy Golf Club in Wales to 2021.

The Curtis Cup is contested by two teams of eight female amateur players, one from the United States and one from Great Britain and Ireland. The USGA’s International Team Selection Committee selects the USA Team, while the R&A selects the GB&I Team.

“The decision to postpone this year’s Curtis Cup Match did not come lightly, but based on a number of factors, including guidance from the CDC and restrictions on international travel, we’re confident it is what’s best for the health and safety of our players, staff, fans, and everyone associated with the Match,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director of Championships for the USGA. “We’re extremely appreciative of The R&A and all involved for the quick work and dedication to ensure this competition moves forward next year.”

The USGA had hosted a 12-woman practice session for Curtis Cup hopefuls in December. That squad included four college seniors.

The U.S. team was to be captained by Sarah Ingram, a three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion in the 1990s who also appeared in three Curtis Cups that same decade. She’ll stay on to captain the matches when they are played next year.

Elaine Ratcliffe, whose resume as a player includes the English Amateur Championship and the Finnish Amateur Championship, will remain captain of the GB&I squad. The formal team selection process was to have taken place in April.

“It is certainly disappointing anytime you have to postpone something you are so actively looking forward to, but when we take our team to the Match, we want to be able to focus on competition and camaraderie, rather than have to worry about health and safety,” Ingram said. “I feel for the players who have worked so hard these last two years and share in the disappointment they surely feel that the Curtis Cup will not be contested this June. Despite the delay, we will be ready and eager to have the experience of a lifetime.”

The U.S. team leads the overall series, 29-8-3, and is coming off a record-setting 17-3 victory at the 2018 matches played at Quaker Ridge in Scarsdale, New York.

 

R&A cancels two amateur events due to coronavirus, comments on status of British Open

The R&A announced Thursday it canceled two amateur events but is keeping an eye on coronavirus ahead of the Open and Women’s Open.

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The R&A announced Thursday it canceled two more events as the threat of coronavirus continues to evolve.

Based on advice by the UK Government, the R&A has canceled two international amateur events — the R&A Student Tour Series Final at St Andrews and Carnoustie and The R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at Fulford. Both events were scheduled for April.

The R&A said it is also evaluating current plans for the British Open at Royal St George’s in July and the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon in August. Currently, the R&A plans to proceed with both events, but will also consider a range of options for the championships if necessary.

“Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety of players, fans, officials, staff and all involved in our championships and that will be at the forefront of our thinking as we monitor developments,” Chief Executive of the R&A Martin Slumbers said in a statement. “We have some time before we start building the infrastructure at both venues and so we are keeping the scheduled dates in place for The Open and AIG Women’s British Open at this point.

“We recognize that this is a rapidly changing situation and we will keep everyone informed of any changes to our plans. These are difficult times but we are bearing in mind our responsibility for what’s right for golf and most importantly for society.”

The R&A said in its statement it will stay updated on the progression COVID-19 and how it will impact the remainder of the season’s events.

The R&A is not the only organization holding off on canceling major events scheduled for later this summer. The International Olympic Committee has not yet called off the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo even though COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic last week and many countries have barred non-essential travel.

That said, the PGA Tour postponed the PGA Championship on Tuesday and Augusta National postponed the Masters Tournament last week.

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