Muirfield to announce result of second ballot on admission of women members on Tuesday
Tuesday 14 March 2017 12:13, UK
The result of a second ballot on admitting women members at Muirfield will be announced on Tuesday morning.
The first vote last May failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority which resulted in the R&A announcing the East Lothian course would no longer be considered to host the Open.
Henry Fairweather, the captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (HCEG) which owns and runs Muirfield, will announce the result of the ballot at 11:30am outside the clubhouse. A 'yes' vote is likely to see the course return to the Open Championship rota.
In February, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: "Muirfield is a wonderful golf course, it's a great Open venue.
"We're very pleased they are going through that process (of a second ballot) and we wait to see the outcome. We would reconsider and make an announcement very quickly if that vote comes through positively."
Speaking after the first vote, former Open champion Rory McIlroy said: "They (Muirfield) can do what they want, but in this day and age it's not right to host the world's biggest tournament at a place that does not allow women to become members.
"Hopefully they can see some sense and we can get it back there one day."
Muirfield has staged the Open 16 times, the last of which in 2013. The earliest it could host the major again is 2022.
