Open finally female friendly

Women golfers were today given the all-clear to play in The Open and that could lead to 15-year-old Michelle Wie appearing at St Andrews this July.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, who promote the championship, agreed in principle to end their male-only ruling.

Martin Kippax, chairman of the championship committee, said Wie would almost certainly be welcomed if she qualified.

She has received a special invitation to play in US PGA Tour event the John Deere Classic in Illinois in early July, where the winner is given a place at The Open, which starts on 14 July.

But because the winner and the leading finishers often qualify for The Open by virtue of other criteria, such as world rankings, the highest placed unqualified finisher takes the invite.

Kippax said: "The championship committee would look at that and in view that it [the leading finisher in the John Deere Classic] is an exempt category I think the reality is she would probably get in.