Banning Players From The Open 'Not On Our Agenda' - R&A Chief Martin Slumbers

The R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers has categorically ruled out banning LIV Golf players from future Opens but hinted that the criteria and qualification process for next year's Championship may be changed.

Slumbers opened his press conference at St Andrews with a strong statement in opposition to LIV Golf, saying it is "not in the best interests of the sport" while maintaining that "we will hold totally true to The Open being open to anybody."

"Looking ahead to The Open next year, we have been asked quite frequently about banning players," he said. "Let me be very clear. That's not on our agenda. But what is on our agenda is that we will review our exemptions and qualifications criteria for The Open.

"And whilst we do that every year, we absolutely reserve the right to make changes as our Open Championships Committee deems appropriate. Players have to earn their place in The Open, and that is fundamental to its ethos and its unique global appeal."

Video: What is LIV Golf?

Slumbers was also firm in his opposition to LIV and his view that the current ecosystem in the men's game works perfectly fine. 

"I firmly believe that the existing golf ecosystem has successfully provided stable pathways for golfers to enter the sport and develop and realise their full potential," he said.

"I know that I can look in the eye of any boy or any parent and know that if he comes into the game and wants to get to the top that there is a pathway to the top totally based on his ability and to work hard and that has been fought for 100 years.

"I think that is something that is fantastic for our sport and it's worth fighting for. That pathway is the biggest piece of the ecosystem for me. The pathway that we have today works extremely well, doesn't need to be changed."