The R&A has become the first of golf’s governing bodies to come out strongly against the LIV Series, with chief executive Martin Slumbers using his media duties ahead of the 150th Open Championship to brand the rebel tour as “not the best of times – urgent interests of sport”. Slumbers concluded that it would become difficult for LIV participants to qualify for future stagings of the world’s oldest major.
LIV themes dominated the build-up to the Open after Greg Norman, who leads the Saudi-backed tour, was not invited to past championship events at St Andrews. Phil Mickelson, a high-profile LIV convert, was another notable absentee.
After Tiger Woods spoke out vehemently against the LIV concept on Tuesday, Slumbers followed suit. “I strongly believe that the existing golf ecosystem has successfully provided stable pathways for golfers to enter the sport and develop and realize their full potential,” Slumbers said.
“Professional golfers have the right to choose where they want to play and accept the prize money that is offered to them. I have absolutely no problem with that. But there is no such thing as a free lunch. I believe in the pattern we’ve seen in Centurion and Pumpkin Ridge [for LIV tournaments] is not in the best long term interest of the sport as a whole and is driven entirely by money. We believe this undermines the merit-based culture and spirit of open competition that makes golf so special.
“I would also like to say that in my opinion the continued comment that this is ‘growing the game’ is simply not credible and, if anything, hurts the perception of our sport that we are working so hard to improve.” “
Of the event itself, Slumbers added: “Looking ahead to next year’s Open, we’ve been asked quite a bit about banning players. Let me be very clear. This is not on our agenda. But what is on our agenda is that we will review our exemptions and qualification criteria for the Open.
Martin Slumbers speaks to the press at St Andrews on the eve of the Open. Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images
“And while we do this every year, we absolutely reserve the right to make changes as our Open Championship Committee sees fit. Players have to earn their place in the Open and that is fundamental to its ethos and its unique global appeal.”
World ranking status is inextricably linked to Open qualification. Slumbers is a member of the Official World Golf Ranking board, which met this week in St Andrews to discuss LIV’s bid for reputation. The OWGR Technical Committee also held talks on the same topic. LIV is likely to wait a long time before receiving OWGR points, if at all. Slumbers declined to offer comment on this topic. “This matter will have to be addressed to the chairman of the OWGR,” he said.
However, the chief executive defended the move to exclude Norman from a four-hole challenge and dinner for past champions. At the latter, Rory McIlroy and Woods were made honorary members of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club. Both are staunch in their opposition to LIV.
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“This is a very important week for golf,” Slumbers added. “This is the oldest championship. This is the original championship. We are absolutely determined to make sure this goes down in history as about the 150th Open. We decided, based on the buzz I was getting from multiple sources, that this would be potentially unlikely. We decided we didn’t want the distraction. We wanted to make sure the conversation was all about this week and the golf game and balls in the air tomorrow and the golf champ on Sunday.
“Greg hasn’t been here since 2010. He didn’t come in 2015. In fact, it’s been years since he’s even been to the Open. So there would have been another reason for that. So it was very clear to protect the integrity of this week.
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