The Ladies' Golf Union and the R&A Complete Merger

The merger of the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) and The R&A has been finalized and will come into effect from 1 January 2017.

The heads of agreement between the two organisations was signed in June leading to the integration of the LGU’s business operations and its members of staff into The R&A group of companies. An agreed governance structure has also been implemented to give LGU Board members representation on relevant R&A Committees.

The R&A will assume responsibility for staging the LGU’s championships and international matches next year, offering leading women’s professional and elite amateur golfers opportunities to play in a world class series of events. The Ricoh Women’s British Open will continue to be managed by IMG in 2017 under the existing agreement with the LGU.

Trish Wilson, Chair of the LGU, said, "The completion of the merger is a progressive and important step for the development of women’s golf.

"Bringing the two organisations together creates a platform that will allow us to develop our aspirations for women’s golf on a global stage and encourage more girls and women to play golf and become members of clubs.

"The success of the Ricoh Women’s British Open and the Curtis Cup demonstrates the growing strength of women’s golf in both the professional and amateur game and we look forward to building on this with The R&A."

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, "The integration of the two organisations puts us in a better, stronger position to realise our collective vision for growing the game of golf around the world.

"Our combined resources and staff expertise will help us to achieve our shared aims for the development of golf, including increasing girls’ and women’s participation and encouraging more families to enjoy golf as a recreational activity.

"Both organisations have an excellent track record of successfully staging prestigious championships and international matches and we are looking forward to a great season of events next year."

The 2017 schedule of championships and international matches is as follows:

1 January – 17 June

Ladies British Open Amateur Championship

Pyle & Kenfig

13 – 17 June

The Amateur Championship

Royal St George’s and Prince’s

19 – 24 June

The 146th Open – Regional Qualifying

Various

26 June

Vagliano Trophy and Junior Vagliano Trophy

Circolo Golf Bogogno, Italy

30 June – 1 July

The 146th Open – Final Qualifying

Various

4 July

The 146th Open

Royal Birkdale

20 – 23 July

Ricoh Women’s British Open – Pre Qualifying

Hankley Common

17 July

The Senior Open Championship

Royal Porthcawl

27 – 30 July

Ricoh Women’s British Open – Final Qualifying

The Castle Course, St Andrews

31 July

Ricoh Women’s British Open

Kingsbarns Links

3 – 6 August

The Boys Home Internationals

St Annes Old Links

8 – 10 August

Ladies and Girls Home Internationals

Little Aston

9 – 11 August

The Seniors Amateur Championship

Sunningdale (Old Course)

9 – 11 August

Girls British Open Amateur Championship

Enville

15 – 19 August

The Boys Amateur Championship

Nairn and Nairn Dunbar

15 – 20 August

The Jacques Leglise Trophy

Ballybunion (Old Course)

1 – 2 September

Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship

North Berwick

6 – 8 September

The Walker Cup

Los Angeles Country Club

9 – 10 September

Ladies Senior British Open Amateur Championship

Royal Belfast

19 – 21 September

Ladies Senior Home Internationals

Newport

3 – 5 October

For more information, please contact:

The R&A – Communications

Tel: +44 (0) 1334 460000

Email: media@randa.org

Web: www.RandA.org

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