The R&A made history this week when it announced that Muirfield will host the 2022 Women’s Open Championship.
Muirfield is Scotland’s equivalent of Augusta National Golf Club. It’s membership is exclusive, many Augusta National members are also members at Muirfield. The club was “men only” until last year when he membership voted to allow women to join the club. Now it will host the world’s best women players in 2022.
Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive, announced the Women’s Open venues for the next five years, a lineup that includes a return to St. Andrews in 2024. Carnoustie will stage the event in 2021, Walton Heath in 2023 and Royal Porthcawl in 2025.
“It’s a huge statement of their (Muirfield’s) commitment to the game and their commitment to the women’s game,” Slumbers said. “But the whole five years is intended to be a huge statement of intent, about how we want to provide the platform for the best women golfers to play on some of the best golf courses that we can offer in GB&I (Great Britain and Ireland). It’s a five-year run that really should whet the appetite of every great golf lover.”
Meanwhile, on Scotland’s west coast, play began Thursday at the Women’s Open. The morning wave was greeted by winds blowing 25-30 miles per hour and the scores reflected the difficult conditions. The outward nine at Royal Troon was playing into the wind with most of the inward nine playing downwind — and you saw the differences in the nine-hole scoring.
Germany’s Sophia Popov, the 304th-ranked player in the world with only conditional LPGA status, turned in the only sub-par round of the morning wave. She went out in even-par then birdied the 16th and 17th holes to post a one-under par 70.
Canadian Alena Sharp was the first to shoot even par. She shot 71 despite a double-bogey on the first hole. She made six at the 339-yard par four after hitting her tee shot out-of-bounds. She shot 39 going out and 32 coming home, taking advantage of the downwind holes. Catriona Matthew, the 50-year-old winning captain of the European Solheim Cup team, joined Sharp at even par. Matthew, who lives on Scotland’s east coast in North Berwick, had a chance to tie Popov but bogeyed the 18th to finish at 71.
World No. 4 Nelly Korda battled her way to a one-over 72 as did Caroline Masson.
Defending champion Hinako Shibuno, the surprise winner last year, got a severe dose of links golf on Thursday. She was six-over par through her first six holes, including a triple-bogey eight at the par five fourth. By day’s end the defending champ opened with 76.
American Amy Olson finally broke the scoring code. She played in the afternoon and had just a single bogey on her card, on her way to a stunning four-under par 67, three better than Lee-Anne Pace and Marina Alex.
Big names struggled. Danielle Kang went 42-34, that horrible outward nine dragged her down and 76 left her tied for 71st. Lexi Thompson struggled to break 80 and carded 78. Scottish Open winner Stacy Lewis shot 76.
The weather once again ruled on day two. Early morning players faced heavy rain then the winds came, stronger than on day one. Olson’s good fortune was crushed. Starting the day at four-under, the first round leader played miserably and finished 10-over for the day — 81. She went from leading at four-under to a shot inside the cutline. The 36-hole cut was projected at seven, possibly eight-over par.
Thompson added 75 to her opening 78 and at 11-over, made an early exit. Same for defending champion Shibuno. The “Smiling Cinderella” from Japan, posted 12-over after rounds of 76-78 and missed the cut.
American Austin Ernst braved those tough early conditions and posted an amazing one-under round that put her at even par, 142 and she was looking like the presumptive halfway leader.
Lydia Ko put herself right into contention with an even-par 71 that got her in at one-over along with Lindsey Weaver (71-72) and Emily Pedersen (71-72).
Popov started the second round at one-under and was playing late in the day.
Syme, Smith Share Day One Lead At Wales Open:
Conner Syme got a taste of what it feels like to have the 54-hole lead last week at the Celtic Classic.
Syme eventually faded and finished third last week but continued his strong play at Celtic Manor in this week’s Wales Open.
The European Tour is going back-to-back at the 2010 course, same venue as last week. Syme shot a five-under par 66 Thursday and shared the first round lead with England’s Jordan Smith.
The duo was two shots clear of American Kurt Kitayama, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, Swede Sebastia Soderberg and Brit Callum Shinkwin
The 25-year-old Syme mixed seven birdies with two bogeys in testing conditions, while Smith registered three birdies in four holes at the turn and six in total, alongside a dropped shot on the fourth.
“It was good, it was playing tricky obviously with the wind,” said Syme. “We were thinking a little bit about how they might change the golf course but the wind has certainly done that for us – a completely different direction and a lot stronger. It was a good round, I had to plan my way around differently but I did that and holed a few nice putts which was a bonus. I took a lot of confidence from last week. It was a new experience for me having a 54-hole lead and I really enjoyed it.”
2 Comments
baxter cepeda
It’s really great for the women’s game and golf in general. The courses men or women play on
at the highest level matter; makes for a better product regardless of gender.
We should be Proud of golfs establishment.
It took way them way too long to be open to ladies, but once they did they really did. Credit to the women consistently improving their product on their own end.
Im just glad the women’s game is in a nice track constantly improving.
Tom Edrington
Baxter: When you throw some real wind at the women it really causes havoc; But I am glad they get to play at some great venues!