Golf: The Princess Royal is among seven women to accept invitations to join the R&A
Friday 13 February 2015 09:30, UK
Dame Laura Davies, Annika Sorenstam and the Princess Royal are among seven women chosen to take up honorary membership of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
Last September, the club voted to end its male-only membership policy after 260 years, with almost 85% of the 2,400 club members who took part in the ballot voting in favour of changing the membership criteria.
Renee Powell, a 68-year-old African-American who was the first woman to be a head professional at a UK golf course, Scotland's prolific amateur Belle Robertson, who played on seven Curtis Cup teams, French golfing great Lally Segard and 91-year-old American Louise Suggs, the co-founder and former president of the LPGA, are the other new honorary members.
George Macgregor OBE, captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said, “It is an honour and a privilege for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club to welcome these remarkable women as honorary members.
"The Princess Royal enjoys a strong bond with Scotland and has shown great energy and commitment to developing sport through her work in the Olympic movement.
'Worthy additions'
“This is an historic day for the club and we could not be more proud also to welcome women who have distinguished themselves in golf over many years and have been great players and champions.
This is such an historic moment in golf’s history and I really appreciate that the R&A have invited me to be part of it
"They are extremely worthy additions to our roll of honorary members and will become ambassadors for the club as they have been for the sport of golf throughout their careers.”
The Princess Royal follows Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of York and The Duke of Kent in becoming an honorary member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
Dame Laura Davies, 51, widely regarded as Britain’s greatest female golfer having won four major championships and 79 events around the world, was awarded her damehood in the Queen's 2014 Birthday Honours.
“It’s an incredible honour and I am so flattered. I’ve had such an amazing time lately, with the Damehood, Hall of Fame and now this lovely news, that I feel so very lucky," she said. "This is such an historic moment in golf’s history and I really appreciate that the R&A have invited me to be part of it.”
Sorenstam, who was inducted into World Golf's Hall of Fame in 2003, collected 10 majors titles and 89 tour events worldwide during her 14-year glittering career.
Since retiring in 2008, the Swedish former world No 1 has concentrated on her 'Annika Academy' and the 'Annika Foundation', which support aspiring young golfers.
"Thanks everybody for the nice tweets about the R&A membership announcement today," she wrote on her Twitter account. "I am very honoured to be one of the lucky ladies."
