Slumbers, Woods Are Allies In Golf’s Civil War

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND | Each Wednesday of Open week, Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, holds a press conference to talk to visiting journalists about the upcoming Open, the speed of the greens, the quality of the field, the total purse, the latest news about distance control, new technology. It is stuff that has to be said, and it usually is without too much fanfare or controversy.

This year it was rather different. He chose to address the issue of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, the current elephant in golf’s room, head-on. He was clear, firm, outspoken, a Martin Slumbers very different from the quiet, thoughtful and very diplomatic Slumbers of previous years.

“We know the disruption that men’s professional golf is facing and the potential impact it could have on the structure of the game,” Slumbers began by saying. “We have been saying for some time now that our purpose of the R&A is to ensure that golf is thriving in 50 years’ time and that it remains strong at all levels, from grassroots through to th...