Dear Industry Colleague
What a fantastic Open Championship we have just enjoyed. Huge congratulations to Cameron Smith who richly deserved the Claret Jug with two 64s in the week and a smouldering back nine of 30 to clinch the championship by one from Cameron Young, whose own 65 was exceptional and topped with a closing eagle. This was of course the best opportunity that Rory McIlroy had to win a major in the last eight years, but one that he himself admits he let slip. His golf from tee to green on the final day, and in fact the whole week, was flawless, but with a two-putt on every green of the last round, it was not surprising that he failed to win in the face of the rampant Aussie.

    This month we feature the opening of a truly outstanding new golf centre in Hounslow. Richard Haygarth has spent the last eight years developing the centre and he is rightly proud of his remarkable achievement. It sets new standards for golf centres seeking to find new golfers and is clearly focused on customer care more than traditional themes. I love the enthusiasm of his staff and for anyone wanting to create more golfers, it is a great centre to get new ideas from.

    So now the big debate in golf falls back onto LIV, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. R&A Chief Executive, Martin Slumbers, whom I have not been a great fan of in the past, wisely announced that no LIV players will be banned from the Open Championship in future years. He did however reserve the right to review and adjust the exemptions for those wishing to play in the Open. This will be a delicate balance for the Open Championship Committee, as it will be very difficult to make Cameron Smith qualify for the championship he is defending. LIV are using their economic clout as their sharp elbows to establish their prominence on the world golf stage. With Henrik Stenson’s recent sacking as Ryder Cup captain as he joins LIV for a trifling $40million, the acrimony will continue to divide elite golf. An accommodation will have to be found as golf will have too much to lose if it continues to fracture and fragment.

Best wishes, Colin Jenkins