The annual R&A press conference is always one of the more enlightening exchanges ahead of The Open as the chief executive Martin Slumbers addresses a number of topics of how the game might shake out in the coming years.
Last year, the 150th anniversary of the game’s oldest Major, this was dominated by talk of LIV Golf; this time around there were a number of topics discussed. Here are the main talking points.
Slumbers began the sit-down by distancing the R&A – ‘To be clear, we’re not party to the agreement’ – from the proposed agreement by the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the PIF but welcomed the possibility of putting an end to the general disruption in the men’s professional game.
When asked if there was a possibility of the PIF becoming a title sponsor of The Open Slumbers was adamant that this wasn’t a possibility, so much so that he repeated himself, but that the opportunity to be a partner/patron in the coming years might be feasible.
“I’m very open, we are and continue to talk to various potential sponsors. We have a number of large corporate partners that help us make this thing happen. I think the world has changed in the last year. It’s not just golf. You’re seeing it in football. You’re seeing it in F1. You’re seeing it in cricket. I’m sure tennis won’t be that far behind,” Slumbers explained.
“The world of sport has changed dramatically in the last 12 months and it is not feasible for the R&A or golf to just ignore what is a societal change on a global basis. We will be considering within all the parameters that we look at all the options that we have.”
‘We have to balance the prize fund’
The winner of this year’s Open will receive $3m, up $500,000 from last year, with a total purse of $16.5m, another huge jump of $2.5m from 2022.
Slumbers spoke very passionately about the need for a balancing act, as ‘custodians of the game’, in terms of rewarding the men’s best as well as furthering the game elsewhere. The R&A are on track to invest £200m into the game over a 10-year period, which is double what was invested the previous decade, and with The Open being its key asset, Slumbers is keen to use the purse strings properly.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“We have to balance the prize fund at The Open with ensuring the appropriate investment in grass-roots and new golf initiatives, ensuring pathways are in place from elite amateur golf to the professional game, and most importantly, promoting women and girls’ golf,…
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