Laura Davis Teeing Off First In The Open, But About That Wind Forecast...

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Slow play is a focus as the women turn up at Royal Troon for a major and, other than Laura Davies going out first to set the pace, the forecast calls major gusts by 9 am. So how long golf can be played remains to be seen.

From Beth Ann Nichols story on Davies, playing in her 40th Open, also working this week for Sky’s broadcast team.

“I played 18 holes yesterday morning at 7:30, basically on my own, in two hours and 15 minutes,” said Davies, “played every hole properly, chipped and putted on quite a few. I’m not saying we can get ’round in two hours and 15 minutes, but we should be ’round in under four, as long as the weather is not crazy. If the weather is crazy then obviously you get up on those holes around the turn, anything can happen. You can spend half an hour on the tee if you’re unlucky.”

The weather on Thursday doesn’t look promising, with wind gusts of up to 55 to 60 mph predicted around 9 a.m. Tournament Troon will look nothing like what they’ve faced in the practice rounds thanks to what they’re calling, “Storm Ellen.”

Martin Dempster points out how the R&A is preparing for delay scenarios, including shortening of the tournament or a 36-hole Sunday. A Monday finish is not in the cards.

In the event of a “significant amount of playing time” being lost on the first two days, the number of players making the cut could be reduced from the intended top 65 and ties, something that would be beneficial if the target was to play two rounds on Sunday.

“I don’t think it’s going to be easy for the next two days,” predicted Slumbers, both in terms of the challenge facing the players and the R&A’s team of rules officials. “We are easing the golf course as much as we can to make it as playable because we want a spectacle. But we have not taken the full teeth out of the golf course.”

For American viewers, the tournament airtimes:

Golf Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         5:30-8:30 a.m. / 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live) / 1:30-4:30 a.m. (Friday replay)

Friday             5:30-8:30 a.m. / 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live) / 1:30-4:30 a.m. (Saturday replay)

Saturday          9 a.m.-Noon (Live) / 11:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Sunday replay)           

Sunday            8 a.m.-Noon (Live) / 12:30-3 a.m. (Monday replay)

NBC (Eastern):

Saturday          Noon-2 p.m. (Live)

Sunday            Noon-1 p.m. (Live)

Women's Open Headed To Carnoustie, Muirfield, Walton Heath, St Andrews, Porthcawl

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The R&A has lined up some incredible future hosts for the AIG Women’s Open, including surprise of all surprises, Muirfield in 2022. The home of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is not currently penciled in for a men’s Open but is still in the rota after relenting and agreeing to admit female members.

Also of note: all but Walton Heath can be classified as a links, steering the championship to primarily links courses after a mix or predominant number of inland courses. Wales will also be hosting its first Women’s major with Porthcawl’s berth.

The full press release:

WORLD-CLASS VENUES ANNOUNCED FOR THE AIG WOMEN’S OPEN THROUGH TO 2025

19 August 2020, Troon, Scotland: The R&A has underlined its commitment to enhancing the AIG Women’s Open’s status as a leading major sporting event by announcing five world-class venues for championships being played from 2021 to 2025.
The future championship venues for the AIG Women’s Open are:

  • 2021 – Carnoustie

  • 2022 – Muirfield

  • 2023 – Walton Heath

  • 2024 – St Andrews

  • 2025 – Royal Porthcawl

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “With our partners at AIG, we have a real ambition to grow and elevate the AIG Women's Open for the benefit of the world's leading golfers and so we are excited to confirm our intention to play the next five championships at these renowned courses. 

“It has truly been a collaborative effort from all the venues involved to make this schedule possible and the flexibility that they have shown in adjusting their own calendars has been vital in allowing us to confirm our plans for the championship through to 2025.

“We are grateful for their support, particularly during a time when golf has been impacted by the on-going pandemic, and we look forward to working with these venues to deliver an outstanding experience to be enjoyed by everyone involved in the AIG Women’s Open.”   

Peter Zaffino, President and Global Chief Operating Officer, AIG, commented, “AIG is pleased to partner with The R&A to increase visibility and engagement in women’s professional golf by enhancing the global stature of the AIG Women’s Open. We proudly welcome the involvement of these venerable courses, which will be fitting hosts for these accomplished golfers as they compete at the highest level.”

Muirfield, Walton Heath and Royal Porthcawl will be hosting the women’s major championship for the first time.

Muirfield has a prestigious history of hosting major championships, having held The Open on 16 occasions. It also hosted The Curtis Cup in 1952 and 1984 as well as the Vagliano Trophy in 1963 and 1975.

Walton Heath has been a venue for the Ryder Cup, the Senior Open presented by Rolex and the British Masters.

Royal Porthcawl has held The Amateur Championship on seven occasions and was the venue for the Walker Cup in 1995 when Great Britain and Ireland defeated a United States of America team featuring Tiger Woods. It has also hosted the Senior Open presented by Rolex, the Curtis Cup and the British Masters.  

The Old Course at St Andrews will stage the championship for the third time after Lorena Ochoa and Stacy Lewis won the title over the world famous links in 2007 and 2013. The AIG Women’s Open will return to Carnoustie for the first time since 2011 when Yani Tseng successfully defended her title. 

The AIG Women’s Open will take place from 16-22 August 2021 at Carnoustie with tickets now on sale via aigwomensopen.com.  

Adult tickets will start from £20 with children aged 16 years or under before the Championship admitted free of charge. Spectators aged 24 years or under will be entitled to purchase youth (16-24 years) tickets. A £5 Mastercard discount is available per transaction.

All future championship dates will be announced in due course.

For more ticket and championship information please visit aigwomensopen.com.
 

Getting Ready For The Women's British Open At Royal Troon

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The AIG Women’s British Open weather forecast positively stinks and I’m well aware the masochists will adore that. And while a links hosting a major should get some Mother Nature support, I also hope the players also get to display their skill at Royal Troon hosts its first women’s Open.

Players have been posting their enthusiasm even as August feels like January so far this week.

Morgan Pressel did what most golfers would do, posted her first shot at the Postage Stamp. Isn’t it wonderful that the hole which has menaced the all-time great male golfers finally takes on the best of women’s golf this week. And we get to watch! Granted, with aggressively placed billboards I’m certain Macdonald Smith never faced. But, if it pays the bills in St Andrews, we’ll ignore the commercially excessive slalom effect so close to play. Ish.

Christina Kim is digging the view from the 8th tee, another perk of the Postage Stamp, though few appreciate the opportunity as they face down 126 yards of wee terror!

Golfer and vintner Cristie Kerr is digging Troon’s history and taking us inside the clubhouse where this week’s winner will add a club to the collection:

A plane landing at nearby Prestwick airport. Surely the crew will then drive forty minutes south for overnight lodging at a four star hotel. Anything but the Adamton Country House, the closest the R&A has come to a media hotel turned internment camp.

Course setup is on the R&A’s mind given the forecast and, eh em, well, we won’t revisit St. Andrews in 2015.

As for flyovers and other fun stuff to dig into, here is the R&A’s course flyover prior to the 2016 Open:

For some fun, head back to 1923 when Arthur Havers edged Walter Hagen by one. Note how much sandier the dunes are. I know what Old Tom would say!

Finally, there is Gene Sarazen’s return to Troon in 1973 and this…

Stacy Lewis Wins Scottish After Not Letting Herself Complain About Dreadful Pace Of Play

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Telegraphing another long day with her slower peers at the Renaissance Club, Stacy Lewis vowed Sunday to not complain to her caddie.

This is what it has come to.

Lewis prevailed in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open after four-player playoff that included Azahara Munoz, Cheyenne Knight and Emily Pederson.

Here is what she said after Saturday’s tepid round, from Beth Ann Nichols:

“I think the biggest challenge for me tomorrow is staying in what I’m doing,” Lewis, “and the pace of play is dreadfully slow, and that doesn’t play into my favor. People I’m playing with are pretty slow.”

And she was right, but as The Scotsman’s Martin Dempster reports, Lewis made a vow and channeled a Taylor Swift song to avoid getting sidetracked by her slower playing partners.

The final group took five hours and 16 minutes to complete their round. “It does,” said Lewis of that taking some of the gloss of an enthralling title tussle. “It shouldn’t take that long to play. I knew it was going to; that’s the sad part. I do think an effort needs to be made across the board to play faster. I’m sure it couldn’t have been fun to watch on TV. I’ve been an advocate for changing our pace of play, getting people to play faster for a long time, and we’re still going the other way unfortunately.”

The course did play much tougher than last year when the men were there for the Scottish and the hole locations were referenced as pretty difficult by the announce team. Still, to have a player so openly saying something and no one is able to do anything, is pretty bizarre.

Better Than Most: A Wealth Of Golf Offerings This August Sunday!

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I’ll admit it’s the links golf. Deprived of a proper links season, we have an epic day ahead this Sunday book-ended by links golf (and yes purists, I’m aware neither is technically a links).

I know I don’t have to tell you about the Wyndham Rewards runner-up race and Playoff(C) ramifications Sunday at soggy Sedgefield. Frankly, I just don’t want to add any stress in your life.

So let’s focus on the “other” golf. In the pandemic era this one is set up to be a doozy.

If you’re up at 5 am ET, Golf Channel will have the European Tour finale where a 2017 Walker Cupper, Conor Syme, leads a teammate, Sam Horsfield. Beef, now comfortable playing in a COVID-19 world, is lurking.

Easily the most compelling Sunday leaderboard can be found at a firmer, faster Renaissance Club in lovely Gullane, and other than the creepy Aberdeen Standard adverts on the tees, the final round on Golf Channel runs from 7-11 am ET.

Azahara Munoz leads links-lover Stacy Lewis by one, and Jennifer Song by two. Lydia Ko and Cheyenne Knight are a stroke farther behind.

The women’s Scottish Open is the precursor to next week’s AIG Women’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.

That’s followed by the Senior Players at Firestone where Jerry Kelly leads.

Then, the cherry on our Sunday sundae is the 2020 U.S. Amateur from glorious Bandon Dunes. Sunday’s semi’s played out in the late light, with firm, fast conditions that could not have been more spectacular to soak up.

Tyler Strafaci takes on Charles Osborne in the NCAA Summer Match Play, aka America’s oldest championship, the U.S. Amateur.

Here’s a “Tale of the Tape” on the two finalists.

Saturday’s semis included some drama, from another rules situation, some intriguing match play tactics and either really poor manners or lame gamesmanship. Either way, Aman Gupta’s dreadful pace of play had already won him few fans.

The deer were a bit surprised one match made it to the end.

Coverage begins at 7 pm ET on Golf Channel.

2020 PGA Ratings Roundup: CBS Up With Final Round Peaking At 6.8 Million Viewers; ESPN Draws Best Cable Numbers In Decade

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The 2020 PGA Championship started a new 11-year deal for CBS and ESPN with a west coast date but without fans in the COVID-19 era. The lack of buzz did not hurt the numbers, however.

According to Showbuzzdaily, the final round on CBS drew a 3.27 average Nielsen rating, and peaked at 6.873 million during the back nine. That’s up from last year’s first-ever May playing but down significantly from the most recent August playing in 2018 when Brooks Koepka dueled with Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, among others.

ESPN’s week was also a big success, with early Sunday coverage up over 60% from last year, a significantly younger audience, and the most-watched cable portion of the PGA Championship in 10 years. From the ESPN press release:

Sunday’s final round coverage, which aired from noon until 3 p.m. ET, averaged 1,965,000 viewers, up 60 percent over TNT’s final-round telecast from 2019 and the most-viewed final round on cable since 2010. Sunday’s telecast peaked at 2.4 million viewers and was above 2 million from 1:15 – 3 p.m.

Across all four rounds, ESPN averaged 1,659,000 viewers and 399,000 viewers in the ages 18-49 demographic, up 35 percent and 54 percent, respectively, from TNT’s coverage last year. In addition to being the most-viewed PGA Championship on cable since 2010, ESPN’s average of ages 18-49 viewers was up 40 percent over the past five years.

Younger viewers helped drive the increases – viewership among adults ages 18-34 was up 76 percent from 2019 and this was the most-viewed version of the championship on cable in the demographic since 2009.

On the PGA downside, only one of Golf Channel’s “Live From” shows appeared in the cable top 150 last week. Saturday’s post-round show drew a .02 and an average of 111,000 viewers, not quite enough to catch an ESPN middle-of-the-night Korean Baseball Organization game between the Lotte Giants vs. Doosan Bears.

Also, only one LPGA broadcast from last week registered a top 150 rating, Thursday’s opening round of the Marathon Classic, which lagged behind even the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Why the LPGA insisted on playing Thursday to Sunday against a men’s major, when fans were not welcome and scheduling should be more flexible, is a mystery only Commissioner Mike Whan can answer.

The numbers from ShowBuzzDaily:

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"Inverness Club Wowing LPGA Tour Players"

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Hardly unexpected but still nice to see: the LPGA’s finest are restarting their season at rejuvenated Inverness. And while the “major championship” conditions presented by veteran ace super John Zimmers could be a tough way to restart after a pandemic-driven break, I couldn’t be happier to see one of America’s great clubs and tournament courses back in fine form.

And let’s be clear: Inverness only fell out of favor because of regulatory malfeasance (as much as I’d love to blame the Fazio’s, it was still great even after their visit.)

The news wasn’t 100% perfect—one player tested positive for COVID-19 on site and another at home—the players sound excited to be back and grateful to be playing Inverness, even if some are going caddieless, as Beth Ann Nichols notes in this Golfweek story.

As for the course, the LPGA.com notes in advance of Friday’s first round include these player remarks about Donald Ross’s design.

“It's super nice. I mean, on 18, it's crazy,” said Rolex Rankings No. 2 Nelly Korda. “I've never seen this. Like even the way they cut their grass here, it gives you such a major championship feel when you're out there. It's crazy. It's super nice though.”

“I do think it's certainly a challenge. We did go out there today and mentioned something along the lines of it being a U.S. Open standard golf course,” added Bronte Law. “Especially after not playing in a while kind of being thrown in at the deep end, per se, is something that I think will definitely be a challenge; but one that I think everyone here is ready for and ready to be back playing.”

Beyond this week’s competition, Inverness Club will return to the women’s golf schedule when it hosts the 2021 Solheim Cup next September. USA Solheim Cup stalwart Lexi Thompson often practices at Inverness Club while in Toledo for the Marathon LPGA Classic and is looking forward to finally seeing the golf course in competition mode.

“To be able to have this as like a tune up to be on this great of a golf course, it's pretty unbelievable,” said Thompson. “And also to have Solheim Cup on it next year, it gives us a little insight and get to know the golf course to hopefully be on that team next year. I was very excited just to hear that we were playing golf again, and even more excited that we're playing a golf course like Inverness.”

Golf Channel coverage begins Friday at 9 am ET.

Fried Egg Preps Us For Inverness's Return To The National Stage

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Inverness’ 18th hole

Inverness’ 18th hole

One of the great places in American golf lore unveils a radically restored layout this Friday when the LPGA kicks off its 2020 season. So thanks to the Fried Egg for helping prep us with this overview of Andrew Green’s Inverness restoration, a welcome tonic from the men managing muggy, mundane Memphis this week. Golf Channel coverage of the LPGA Drive-On Championship starts Friday from 9-11:30 am ET.

Women's Open It Is, With A Sponsorship Extension

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Beth Ann Nichols with news that the Women’s British Open is now the AIG Women’s Open, aligning the “branding” with the R&A’s Open Championship.

The event is set for August 20-23rd at Royal Troon and will be sponsored by AIG through 2025.

“AIG proudly stands as allies with these accomplished players, and with women in business and society,” said Peter Zaffino, President & Global Chief Operating Officer, AIG in a statement. “In the face of challenging global circumstances, we are pleased that our increased support of the AIG Women’s Open will enable these dedicated professionals to compete and break down barriers that will provide a lasting example for future generations.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said the new name reflects the championship’s growing stature and broadening international appeal.

The use of “British” in the title was inconsistent with the R&A’s other major professional championship and the push since 2014 to call the Open Championship, The Open.

Rose Series: Dryburgh Wins Again Over Charley Hull, Georgia Hall At 2021 Open Host Royal St George's

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Beth Ann Nichols reports on the Rose Series event wrapping at Royal St George’s, which next week was to host the 2020 Open Championship and now will host in 2021 after the R&A’s pandemic-driven cancellation.

Winner Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland held off English stars Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, the 2018 Women’s British Open winner.

The win is notable in giving Scotland a rising star who will make her Open debut next month at Troon after playing the two Ohio LPGA events.

Dryburgh has history at Royal St. George’s, having competed there at the 2014 British Ladies Amateur, the same year she represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Curtis Cup. The previous trip helped with the fact that she didn’t have a practice round at Royal St. George’s this week. She instead warmed up with a Clutch Pro Tour event at Sunningdale Health, finishing tied for ninth in a mixed tournament won by Will Percival.

On Wednesday after an LPGA player meeting, Dryburgh booked her ticket to the U.S. She’ll quarantine for two weeks in Texas before heading up to Toledo, Ohio, for back-to-back events as the LPGA reboots its 2020 season. She’ll then travel back home to Scotland for two more events, a most welcome homecoming in these uncertain times.

The tournament and what images we can see on Instagram give us a glimpse of what might have been at Royal St George’s. In a nutshell: the links would have been very green.

Women's British Open At Royal Troon A Go, Will Include A "Bio Secure Zone"

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The R&A has confirmed plans to move ahead with the Women’s British Open in Scotland (now under their control but curiously still not subjected to The Open branding). From this wire story, it sounds like a very strict zone is being created to make this happen in late August, including all staying in one hotel.

As part of COVID-19 safety protocols, the Championship will create a "bio secure zone," and allow a reduced number of people who are essential to the operation including: players, caddies, officials, and staging staff.

To be allowed on-site, a negative COVID-19 test from an authorised testing centre must be returned, and in addition to limited movements between the golf course and the hotel, all players and staff will be subject to further tests and temperature checks "to maintain the integrity of the zone and the health of those within it."

The preceding week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open is also forging ahead at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian. Players have have been briefed are already bracing for very limited movements beyond playing the tournament.

Justin And Kate Rose Chipping In To For "Ladies Series" Tourneys, Including July Stop At Royal St George's

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The Telegraph’s Kate Rowan reports on the Rose Ladies Series, a set of seven events starting June 18.

Besides lending their name and some money to the prize money, the series has landed a stunner: Royal St George’s in July. The month the club was to be hosting The Open Championship, now postponed to 2021.

It is understood that Rose, the 2013 US Open Champion and gold medalist at the Rio Olympics, is contributing £35,000 into the series as prize money, while all seven golf courses are giving up their facilities free of charge. All the tournaments will be played behind closed doors but Sky Sports will be broadcasting.

Last week the Sunday Telegraph revealed that golf would be the first women’s sport to return in Britain with the hosting of the Women’s Open at Brokenhurst Manor, a one-day event to be held on June 18. 

The tournament was the brainchild of Ladies European Tour player Liz Young and Jason MacNiven, who runs a custom club-fitting company at the Hampshire course. However, the event was without a sponsor and a broadcast partner.

Also of note on the venue list: Moor Park GC, which has two courses including a Harry Colt design from 1923.

Caddies Optional Whenever The LPGA Returns

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Of course we love caddies and the player-bagman dynamic is an integral, irreplaceable part of the professional game.

But admittedly, a couple times a year, I think I speak for most saying it’d be fun to see players carrying their clubs, making decisions and having no one to blame.

Fans of the LPGA Tour might get a partial version of this when the tour resumes play this summer, Randall Mell reports for GolfChannel.com.

LPGA tour media director Christina Lance confirmed players were informed of the caddie option Wednesday during a players’ meeting in a video conference call.

"We expect an overwhelming number of players to use their full-time caddies," Lance said. "This is meant mainly to avoid the local caddie situation, where we don't know a caddie's background, and the player doen't know their background, and may feel health concerns working with someone they don't know."

Mell quotes a caddie who is understandably displeased. Overall though, if this helps some players and allows any concerned about safety to return, the policy seems wise.

Other changes are in store and Commissioner Mike Whan outlined those as well, reports Steve Eubanks.

The tour lost another event and also confirmed a fall shift for another tournament. The current plan calls for a late July re-start.

LPGA Commish: "It’s possible in 2020 we could eat up most of the savings we saved in the last 10 years in 10 months."

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Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols spells out and gives context to Mike Whan’s LPGA teleconference where the Commissioner presented a new schedule. It features a mid-July start, reports GolfChannel.com’s Randall Mell. There are even tournaments cancelled sharing some purse money with others, and Whan explaining where this leaves the LPGA Tour.

This about summed it all up:

“It doesn’t put us on a death watch,” he said, “but I’ve been very proud and I’ve said in many interviews, we’ve saved more money in the last 10 years than in the 60 years before, but it’s possible in 2020 we could eat up most of the savings we saved in the last 10 years in 10 months. When we’re not playing and not producing TV, and as a result not delivering for international partners, it hurts players, it hurts caddies, and I can promise you it hurts the LPGA.”

To that end, the LPGA is also expanding fields even as health guidelines suggest trying to reduce the size of gatherings. It also means more tests, if that becomes an issue. But Whan is bullish on robust COVID-19 testing availability.

“What we’re really hearing is that testing could be available in large supply by the end of May,” said Whan, “so if you kind of ­– if you do what we do in COVID world, which is to say, well, that sounds good but let’s just build a few weeks out on to that, and I mean by large supply, I mean tens of millions, so not a couple hundred thousand where you really get to the point where testing is pretty regularly available to anybody.”

To that end, Whan said he’s not sure if they’ll be virus testing players and caddies every day, but he does expect there to be some kind of daily test.

“At a minimum you’ll probably be getting a fever scan,” he said, “a thermal scan for fever with facial recognition.”

He estimates that the cost of testing for the rest of the season will come close to seven figures.

Expensive but ultimately a small cost if the LPGA Tour can eventually return.

U.S. Women's Open Moves To December And Will Use Both Champions Courses

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One bit of good luck in all of this postponement news: Champions Golf Club has two courses and now both will be employed to (hopefully) be able to contest the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open in December.

For Immediate Release:

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (April 3, 2020) – The USGA today announced that due to the evolving dynamics of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 75th U.S. Women’s Open, originally scheduled for June 4-7 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, has been postponed to Dec. 10-13. 
 
“The USGA remains committed to hosting the U.S. Women’s Open in 2020,” said USGA CEO Mike Davis. “We are grateful to the LPGA and our broadcast partner FOX for their terrific collaboration in finding a new date for the championship. Our priority remains ensuring the safety of all involved with the U.S. Women’s Open, while still providing the world’s best players the opportunity to compete this year.” 

To account for reduced daylight given the move to December, the Jackrabbit Course at Champions Golf Club will be used in conjunction with the Cypress Creek Course, which was originally slated to host all four rounds of championship play. The Jackrabbit will co-host Rounds 1 and 2. 
 
U.S. Women’s Open qualifying, which is run in conjunction with Allied Golf Associations and international federations, is expected to be held on rescheduled dates and potentially some new locations. The USGA is also reviewing how the postponement will affect exemption categories, and definitive changes will be communicated when they are finalized. 

“We are incredibly thankful to Champions Golf Club for its flexibility and support during this uncertain time,” said Davis. “The club, led by Jack and Robin Burke, has been such a great friend of the USGA for some time, stepping up in 2017 to host the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur on short notice after it was displaced by a hurricane, and now accommodating a significant schedule change for our premier women’s championship, not to mention allowing us to use both golf courses. We’re confident the combined efforts will lead to an incredibly special 75th U.S. Women’s Open.” 
 
Champions Golf Club was founded in 1957 by World Golf Hall of Fame members Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke Jr., who currently serves as president. The Cypress Creek Course, designed by Ralph Plummer and opened in 1959, has hosted four previous USGA championships: the 1969 U.S. Open, 1993 U.S. Amateur, 1998 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The Jackrabbit Course was designed by George Fazio and opened in 1964. 
 
Additional information about the postponement can be found at uswomensopen.com. The USGA will continue to rely on CDC and WHO recommendations in determining schedule considerations for the remaining 2020 championships. Decisions regarding the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Women’s Open as well as the eight remaining amateur championships will be made in the near future.