Scottish Golf has appointed Karin Sharp as its chief executive after Andrew McKinlay stepped down to

SCOTTISH Golf chief executive Andrew McKinlay has been replaced by Karin Sharp after he stood down yesterday, in the wake of the financial hit the governing body is suffering as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief operating officer Sharp was asked to lead the organisation with immediate effect by Eleanor Cannon, who chairs Scottish Golf, which has now lost three chief executives in four years since the former Scottish and Newcastle brewery director took over as head of its board in 2015.

McKinlay, who joined from the Scottish Football Association in February 2018, decided to leave Scottish Golf on Tuesday to “ensure a sustainable future for Scottish Golf.”

His successor has already taken a 20 per cent pay cut, as has chief commercial officer Iain Forsyth, who will assist Sharp in her new role.

Earlier this month, the game’s governing body significantly reduced staffing numbers through the Government furlough scheme.

In addition – and in response to the global health crisis – the board acted quickly to cancel all of this year’s championships and Scottish Golf events, as well coaching session for its performance squads for the remainder of the 2020 season.

That move meant available resources could be prioritised towards supporting Scottish Golf’s 575 affiliated golf clubs through the “extreme financial challenges” brought on by the closure all clubs in the UK under the Government lockdown, introduced on March 23.

Eleanor Cannon said in a statement: “The board and executive team have had to make very tough decisions in order to focus on ensuring we are in a sustainable position going forward when courses reopen.

“With many clubs feeling the financial strain, which in turn has had a knock-on effect on our income, we have prioritised expenditure accordingly.

“Now more than ever we need strong leadership backed up by robust actionable plans.

“I am very pleased to announce the board has invited Karin Sharp to lead the organisation with immediate effect, from her current role as chief operating officer.”

Scottish Golf chief executive Andrew McKinlay stepped down yesterday to help the governing body cope with the financial problems caused by the COVID-19 outbreak

From banking to golf administration

SHARP worked for RBS for 23 years, mostly in its corporate and commercial banking division before moving into golf adminstration.

She joined Scottish Ladies Golfing Association in November 2013 as chief operating officer and, following the amalgamation in 2015, continued in the same role for Scottish Golf.

Karin said: “In response to these unprecedented circumstances we have issued a short financial health check survey to our member clubs which seeks to gather key information, specifically around the impact of COVID-19 to golf club operations.

“This detail will directly contribute to, and significantly inform, our ongoing dialogue with Scottish Government in relation to the struggles faced by golf in Scotland.

“This information is crucial. To enable us to represent the situation accurately and effectively, I urge all clubs to complete the survey at the earliest opportunity.”

Scottish Golf is also hosting the first of its weekly support webinars, open to all member golf clubs, later today.

Sharp added: “We have brought together experts from golf club management, finance, marketing and commercial disciplines that are on hand to offer advice on the significant challenges our clubs are currently facing.”

A spokesman added that Scottish Golf: “Continues to be in active dialogue with Scottish Government, sportscotland and the R&A on the up-to-date guidance and advice relative to the current health and economic crisis.”

Sharp will be supported by Forsyth, who has spent more than 30 years working in the golf industry, and is behind the introduction of Scottish Golf’s venue management system (VMS).

The new product has attracted public criticism from some clubs who feel they are being forced to ditch their existing software systems.

That is because the new World Handicapping System will only be accessible via Scottish Golf’s new VMS, when it is rolled out north of the border later this year.

The VMS will allow clubs to sell tee times online and manage other club functions as do rival software systems.

The latter can also calculate handicap allowances for all club competitions, home and away under the current arrangement with CONGU, but have been told they will not be able to when WHS is introduced.

Eleanor Cannon, who chairs Scottish Golf, thanked outgoing chief executive Andrew McKinlay for his service

Former Scottish Football chief leaves after two years

McKINLAY, who left the Scottish Football Association in Feburary 2018, paid tribute to the team he worked with at Scottish Golf, for just over two years.

He said: “It has been a privilege to lead this fantastic organisation and I am grateful to Eleanor and the board for the opportunity.

“Above all I am indebted to the team at Scottish Golf for their commitment in implementing the objectives to take the game forward towards a sustainable and, indeed, prosperous future.”

Cannon thanked the outgoing chief executive who was forced to put two-thirds of his staff on furlough leave under the UK Government scheme last month.

Cannon said: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Andrew for his contribution to Scottish Golf over the past two years.

“He brought a wealth of experience to what can be a pressurised role. He has helped take the organisation forward and has now taken a very difficult decision at this challenging time.

“I thank him for doing so and wish him the very best for the future.”

• Andrew McKinlay took over after the short-lived reign of Blane Dodds, the former Scottish tennis international who left after 14 months in October 2017.

Dodds succeeded Hamish Grey, who had steered the Scottish Golf Union through its drawn-out merger with the Scottish Ladies Golf Association – which was finally approved in 2015.

Grey stepped down from his increased role as head of the combined organisation just three months after his formal appointment to the new role.

 

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The 2020 Open Championship at Royal St George’s has been cancelled – the Claret Jug will return to Sandwich in July 2021. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

THE R&A has cancelled The 149th Open at Royal St George’s in 2020 because of the current COVID-19 crisis – the championship will now be played at Sandwich in 2021, instead.

The Open was due to be staged in Kent from July 12-19, but following guidance – from the UK Government, the health authorities, public services and The R&A’s advisers – the decision was taken to pull the plug on staging the world’s oldest Major in 2020.

The move followed more than a week of intense speculation while the game’s governing body weighed up its options during the coronavirus pandemic.

It is the first time since the Second World War that golf’s original championship, first played in 1860, has been cancelled – following on from Augusta National’s decision last month to cancel this week’s Masters for the first time since WWII.

The decision piles on the pressure on the other two Majors in the 2020 calendar, which are all under threat – including June’s US Open at Winged Foot, and the USPGA, which has been suggested could move to early August, in the slot vacated by the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics.

Talks have been going on for past week and on Friday The R&A said it was still reviewing its options.

A shift to a date in September prior to the Ryder Cup – considered the most likely option given the current Government lockdown to beat the COVID-19 crisis could last until the early summer – was finally discounted.

The R&A stressed its plan now is to hold the 149^th Open at Royal St George’s from July 15-18, 2021 leaving the stage set for the 150^th Open to go ahead at St Andrews, from July 14-17, in 2022 – when the awarding of the Claret Jug and the Gold Medal celebrates a special milestone in golf’s history.

R&A: First priority is protect health

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “Our absolute priority is to protect the health and safety of the fans, players, officials, volunteers and staff involved in The Open.

“We care deeply about this historic championship and have made this decision with a heavy heart.

“We appreciate this will be disappointing for a great many people around the world, but this pandemic is severely affecting the UK and we have to act responsibly. It is the right thing to do.

“I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year but it is not going to be possible.

“There are many different considerations that go into organising a major sporting event of this scale.

“We rely on the support of the emergency services, local authorities and a range of other organisations to stage the championship and it would be unreasonable to place any additional demands on them when they have far more urgent priorities to deal with.

“In recent weeks we have been working closely with those organisations as well as Royal St George’s, St Andrews Links Trust and the other golf bodies to resolve the remaining external factors – and have done so as soon as we possibly could.

“We are grateful to all of them for their assistance and co-operation throughout this process.

“Most of all I would like to thank our fans around the world and all of our partners for their support and understanding.

“At a difficult time like this, we have to recognise that sport must stand aside to let people focus on keeping themselves and their families healthy and safe.

“We are committed to supporting our wider community in the weeks and months ahead and will do everything in our power to help golf come through this crisis.”

Ireland’s James Sugrue, who won the 2019 Amateur Championship at Portmarnock – the R&A is waiting to decide if the 2020 championship can take place at Royal Birkdale, after the June date was postponed in March. Picture by THE R&A / GETTY IMAGES

Senior Open at Sunningdale ‘under review’

THE R&A’s remaining professional and amateur championships are also under review because of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

They include the Senior Open at Sunningdale, in August, and The Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale and West Lancashire, which has been put back from its traditional June date, as well as the Women’s Amateur Championship and the Senior Amateur.

The R&A also organises the AIG Women’s British Open, which is set to be played at Royal Troon, in August, and which must also be in doubt now.

The British Boys Championship, held in August, is the R&A’s top junior event along with the Boys Home Internationals and The Girls Amateur, which has already been postponed from its July date.

Great Britain & Ireland are also due to face Continental Europe in the St Andrews Trophy, which the R&A organises alongside the European Golf Associtaion, while the juniors are due to contest the annual Jacques Leglisle Trophy, also in August.

Updates will be given on any further changes, an R&A spokesman added.

R&A will transfer tickets to 2021

THE R&A will transfer over tickets and hospitality packages purchased for the 2020 championship at Royal St George’s to The Open in 2021.

Purchasers who no longer wish to – or are no longer able to – attend in 2021 – whether as a result of the COVID-19 crisis or not – will receive a full refund.

Further information on the arrangements will be sent directly to ticket and hospitality purchasers in due course, said the R&A spokesman.

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Graeme McDowell will have to wait until 2021 to host the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Mount Juliet after the 2020 tournament was called off due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis

THE European Tour has confirmed the postponement today of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open due to the continuing threat posed by the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The tournament was scheduled to be the European Tour’s second Rolex Series event of 2020, taking place at Mount Juliet Estate from May 28-31, with Major champion Graeme McDowell as host.

It brings the total number of events on the European Tour schedule either cancelled or postponed to 11 from the second week in March through to the end of May.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “The decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open follows consultation with all stakeholders and was made with public health and well-being as our absolute priority.

“Our thoughts are with everyone right now and we are all united in trying to fight the spread of the pandemic.

“With this in mind, we will continue to evaluate all aspects of our 2020 European Tour schedule, and discussions on the rescheduling of postponed events will remain ongoing until we have clarity on the global situation.”

Dubai Duty Free chief executive Colm McLoughlin said: “We fully support the European Tour in their decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

“The most important thing right now is the health and safety of all the players, the spectators, the sponsors and organisers, so it’s the right decision.”

Tournament host McDowell said: “As important as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is to all of us, everyone’s health is our only concern.

“My thoughts are with everyone affected by the crisis and I hope everyone keeps safe and well during these difficult times.”

McDowell had been looking forward to teeing it up at Kilkenny’s Mount Juliet, which hosted the World Golf Championship American Express Championship in 2002 and 2004.

The 2010 US Open Champion, who claimed the Saudi International in early February for his first win on the European Tour in more than five years, agreed to host the Irish Open in 2020 and 2021 before Christmas.

Mount Juliet will host the 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open under the European Tour deal

Cancelled tournaments list grows

THE first four events called off by the European Tour were the Magical Kenya Open, the Hero Indian Open, the Volvo China Open and Malaysia’s Maybank Championship

The four events sandwiched the WGC Dell Technologies World Match Play and the Masters on the European Tour’s international schedule.

Two weeks ago, the European Tour postponed the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama, at the end of April, followed a week later by the Made in Denmark tournament in May, as well as cancelling the GolfSixes Casçais, in Portugal – the latter two events were planned for either side of the USPGA.

Speculation has continued over the past few days over whether the US Open at Winged Foot, in June, and the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in July, will join the Masters and USPGA Championship in being postponed until later in the summer, or even autumn.

Rumours suggest the Augusta National Golf Club are looking at a date in early October for the Masters, with the USPGA possibly moving to a date in early August vacated by the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics last week.

The TPC Harding Park in San Francisco was set to host Brooks Keopka’s defence of the Sam Wanamaker Trophy in May, before the coronavirus pandemic spread to the USA from China.

The USGA, who organise the US Open are said to be close to making an announcement on their flagship event, with New York’s Long Island at the epicentre of the current COVID-19 outbreak in North America.

With talk of a possible quarantine of New York city and New York State, moving the US Open to another venue, or pushing it back to the autumn from its date in the third week of June, are the most likely option.

The European Tour has so far seen 11 events in 2020 either cancelled or postponed

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