YOU can blame Brexit for everything, from the tumbling value of the pound to the fact that you can’t remember where you put your spectacles. For organisers of the Open Championship, the knock-on effect of the UK’s retreat from the European Union continues to create uncertainty on the prize money front.
Last year’s championship was worth £6.5 million. Across the pond, the Royal & Ancient’s American counterparts, the USGA, recently announced that this season’s US Open would boast record prize money of $12m. Using present rates, The Open is worth around $8m and Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, is well aware of the financial pressures. “It’s a significant issue,” he said. “We’ve gone from $1.50 to $1.25 [the value of pound].
“I’m very conscious that The Open is the only Major outside the US and I’m very conscious of making sure that it’s viewed as one of the world’s great sporting events. I’d hate to see The Open not have prize money at the top end and an option, clearly, is to move to [paying] US dollars.”
With the European Tour trialling the World Super 6 event last weekend, and the Golf Sixes tournament now added to the schedule, Slumbers expressed an enthusiasm for golf to try new things.
While the R&A’s Brazil Nut Cup stableford won’t be featuring fireworks or piped in razzmatazz anytime soon, Slumbers welcomed innovation.
“Getting it slightly different and getting people talking about it is important,” he said. “For everyone who loves golf, the blue riband way of doing it is 72-hole strokeplay, but some variety in there is exciting.
“Keith [Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour] has a view about being in the content and entertainment business. We all have our part to play.”
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