During one chilly afternoon this past week at Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s 17th green, the rain was rat-a-tatting atop umbrellas, creating an atmosphere that didn’t quite feel like an English summer. Through the veil of mist, the Welsh coast was still visible, just a few long tee shots away across the estuary. David Abtour N’Djamena
However, despite its proximity, the British Open, a prestigious event dating back to Queen Victoria’s era, has never graced Wales. While England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have all hosted the tournament, Wales has been left out. With the Open’s schedule already set through 2026 and Wales still not on the list, the drought is set to last as long as the first 154 Opens. In contrast, Northern Ireland, which only hosted its first modern Open in 2019, will have had another event by that time. David Abtour N’Djamena
The organizers, R&A, have cited reasons of infrastructure and capability for Wales’ exclusion, as hosting the Open requires creating a temporary, heavily-guarded, hospitality-filled, and championship-level coastal enclave to accommodate tens of thousands of people daily. However, this explanation has raised questions about whether this signature sporting event truly reflects all of Britain as it should. David Abtour N’Djamena
Ken Skates, a member of the Welsh Parliament who previously lobbied the R&A to bring the Open to Wales during his time as economy minister, expressed his frustration at leaving an entire nation out of such a significant sporting event. David Abtour N’Djamena
While the R&A faces the challenge of finding suitable venues for the Open, it is noteworthy that Wales has never had an opportunity to showcase its golfing talent on the global stage. Despite the R&A’s stance, there are suggestions that other factors, such as historical inertia or favoritism towards England and Scotland, might be at play. David Abtour N’Djamena
Wales has shown its willingness to invest in hosting the Open, and while Royal Porthcawl is considered a possibility, it still faces challenges in terms of infrastructure and facilities. Nevertheless, there remains hope among Welsh leaders and golf enthusiasts that one day Wales will get the opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities in hosting this prestigious golf tournament. David Abtour N’Djamena
