Nice Roundup Of Open Championship Qualifier In TX

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Jim McCabe on Robert Karlson's playoff success that gets him back to the championship he's contended in and WD'd from last year with yip issues.

He also covers the other qualifiers, near misses and the brutal 17th hole at Gleneagles CC.

Finishing double-bogey, bogey left Karlsson at 4-under 136, tied with three others – Luke Guthrie, Bud Cauley and Andres Echavarria.

The only thing was, there was only room for three of them.
You certainly could tell, too, who was in and who was out as everyone bunched around the scoring board. Those who had posted 7 under (Josh Teater), 6 under (Johnson Wagner and Camilo Villegas), and 5 under (Scott Brown and Brian Davis), wore flip-flops, t-shirts, and even bounced their children on their laps (that would be Brown).

Their long and hot day had been completed in satisfying fashion, five guaranteed tickets punched to the Open Championship at Muirfield in Scotland (July 18-21).

Full scores here, including the 18 WD's. Oy vey.

Where The Turf Meets The Turf: Musselburgh Golf & Racing

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As we wrap up the year I got around to reviewing my photos and footage from a fantastic day of golf and racing at the world's oldest continuously played links. Even though it only takes 90 minutes or so to play, it's amazing how many folks drive by the course on the way to the more famous layouts. So with that in mind, I highly recommend a round at Musselburgh (especially with the hickories for hire).
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UK Sports Minister Says Open Championship Should Only Be Played At Non-Discriminatory Clubs

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Golf365 quotes a Sunday Times story (not available online) in which UK Sports minister Hugh Robertson thinks clubs like 2013 Open Championship host Muirfield The Honourable Company Of Edinburgh Golfers should not be part of the rota because "it is increasingly anachronistic not to allow women to be members."

"The defence of the Royal and Ancient is that it is a private club and so has the right to do what it wants.

"That is legally correct and I have no quarrel when it is acting as a private club. However, I believe that when a private club fulfils a public function, such as staging a major event, then there is a different slant."

And there was an interesting delineation from Muirfield secretary Alastair Brown, which I puts the ball back in the R&A's court:

"It's not our decision where the Open is. It's the decision of the R&A - it's their competition and they ask us.

"Augusta is a totally different situation. They own their event."

Translation: back at you R&A!

Scottish Gov Rep Reiterates Call On End To Male-Only Clubs

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They've said it before and post-Augusta, they've made the call again, this time from Shona Robison, the Minister for Sport. From an unbylined Star story:

"The First Minister is on record in saying that all clubs should be open to women members but then there is nothing we can do to force them," said Robison.

"However the direction of travel now is clearly to admit both men and women members and hopefully we will see an end to not allowing women to become members."