Muirfield loses British Open host status after vote to uphold male-only membership

Muirfield members voted Thursday to retain the Scotland club’s male-only policy and as a result will no longer be allowed to host the British Open.

A two-thirds majority -- or 432 of the 616 votes cast -- was required to make the change. The tally fell just short of that mark, with 397 members voting to allow women and 219 voting against it.

“The honorable company is a members club and the members decide the rules of the club, including its membership policy,” said Henry Fairweather, captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which controls Muirfield.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted in response to the vote: “Scotland has women leaders in every walk of life. It is 2016. This is simply indefensible.”

A group of 33 Muirfield members campaigned against changing the male-only policy, stating in a letter to other members that “our foursomes and speedy play would be endangered.”

That group also suggested adding a “lady-friendly” course and clubhouse on the property as an alternative.

In making the announcement Thursday, Fairweather also said: “Women will continue to be welcome at Muirfield on the course and in the clubhouse as guests and as visitors as they have for many years, and we have some ladies playing here today.”

That wasn’t good enough for the Royal and Ancient, which runs the British Open and followed Muirfield’s announcement with one of its own.

“Going forward we will not stage the Championship at a venue that does not admit women as members,” R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers said in a statement. “If the policy at the club should change we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue for The Open in future.”

Muirfield has hosted the British Open 16 times, most recently in 2013, and was one of 10 clubs on the event’s rotation. Thursday’s developments leave this year’s host, the Royal Troon, as the only club left in the rotation that does not allow women members.

The Royal Troon does share its facilities with a women’s golf club, but the two groups have separate clubhouses. Royal Troon captain Martin Cheyne said last month that the male-only policy was being reconsidered by the club’s members and a decision should be reached by the end of this year.