Hoylake door Open for women

THE door has officially been opened for the likes of women’s world number one Annika Sorenstam and teenage sensation Michelle Wie to play at next year’s Open golf championship at Hoylake near Liverpool - providing they can qualify.

For the 135th staging of golf’s oldest major the all-male Royal and Ancient Golf Club based at St Andrews have agreed to lift their total ban on females.

After discussions which began early last year it has been decided any player finishing in the top five at each of the women’s four majors can enter the Open at the first of two qualifying stages.

Coincidentally, the announcement came on the day 16-year-old Wie began her professional career - in which she hopes will see her compete against men’s world number one Tiger Woods as well as Sorenstam.

Wie and Sorenstam are already able to file entries if they choose because the 2006 Weetabix Women’s British Open takes place after the Open and so the top five at Royal Birkdale this July can take part in the 18-hole regional qualifying.

Korean Jeong Jang won the title, with Sophie Gustafsson second, Wie and Young Kim joint third and Sorenstam, Christie Kerr and Liselotte Neumann joint fifth.

How many of them even fill in the Open entry form remains to be seen but if they do and come through regional qualifying there would be a further 36 holes of final qualifying to negotiate before they line up at Hoylake.

In addition to the top five in the majors - the other three are all in the US and are the Kraft Nabisco Championship, McDonalds LPGA Championship and the US Women’s Open - any women meeting the entry requirements for international qualifying, final qualifying and the Open itself can enter at these stages directly.