British Open No Longer for Men Only

On the same day that Michelle Wie made her professional debut, the governing body for golf outside the United States announced that it was changing its rules to allow women to qualify for the British Open.

Of course, the move by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club caught the attention of Wie, who has said that her goal is to play on both the LPGA and PGA tours.

“It’s great that they opened it up,” the 16-year-old Hawaiian said after shooting a two-under-par 70 in the opening round of the Samsung World Championship at Bighorn Golf Club. “Hopefully, I will be able to try for it.”

Annika Sorenstam, meanwhile, expressed little interest.

“I guess I would say I think it’s great that they are opening it up for everyone, men or women,” the LPGA Tour’s No. 1 player told reporters. “It’s whoever wants to play the game and wants to challenge her or himself. I don’t think that’s something that I would be interested in. But who knows?”

According to the new rules, entry “should be based on playing ability irrespective of gender.”

Any woman finishing among the top five in any of the four majors can try to make the field through regional and final qualifying.

-- Jerry Crowe