An end to the Open Championship being staged at clubs with a male-only membership policy is in sight after English golf club Royal St George’s voted to allow women members.

Royal Troon Golf Club has announced its intention to undertake a “comprehensive review” of its membership policy.

Women who have made a “significant contribution” to golf will be first in line to join the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, if the club votes in favour of women members.

Such has been the gruelling nature of this 142nd Open Championship at Muirfield over the first 36 holes that whoever survives to lift the famous Claret Jug tomorrow evening will rightfully lay claim to the motto ‘He Who Grinds, Wins’.

Adam Scott learned to get tough to win a Major, Justin Rose’s perseverance earned him a US Open title and for Pádraig Harrington, it was understanding that nothing mattered except for the last nine holes on a Sunday.

Graeme McDowell hopes the storm over his recent Scottish Open comments can now been forgotten and he can thrive at Muirfield this week.

The controversy over playing The Open at courses such as men-only Muirfield is not an indication of golf’s need to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century but a problem with society in general.

Muirfield’s popularity amongst players as a British Open venue will be tested by an extra 158 yards and “plenty” of rough for this year’s Championship from July 18-21.

If double Major-winning Rory McIlroy qualifies for the 2016 Olympics he will represent Ireland in Rio de Janeiro.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON claims he doesn’t read the newspapers. So when I put it to him last night that more and more pressmen were writing that he was about to join the likes of Phil Mickelson as “one of the best players in golf not to have won a major”, he said he was unaware of any such speculation.

KEEPING a close eye on developments at the recent Open Championship at Muirfield was Pat Lyons, the Irish international from Cork Golf Club.

AS Tiger Woods flew back across the Atlantic last night, Ernie Els was marvelling starry-eyed at his own name etched into the famous Old Claret Jug.

As Tiger Woods flew back across the Atlantic last night, Ernie Els was marvelling starry-eyed at his own name etched into the famous Old Claret Jug.

Muirfield bit back on day three of the Open Championship with driving rain and a fierce wind sending players tumbling off the leaderboard

IT'S as you were as far as the Irish representation in the British Open beginning at Muirfield on Thursday is concerned.