Royal St Georges to host 2020 British Open

[February 21, 2017]    LONDON (Reuters) - The British Open will be held at Royal St George's in 2020, golf authorities announced on Monday, returning the major to the Kent coast club two years after it lifted a ban on women members.

Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland kisses the Claret Jug trophy on the 18th bunker after winning the British Open golf championship at Royal St George's in Sandwich, southern England July 18, 2011. REUTERS/Kieran Doherty

The club came under fire in 2011 for its "men only" policy but has since opened its doors to women after 90 percent of members voted for change.

Failure to do so could have seen it removed from the Open rota, a fate that befell Scottish course Muirfield after members voted against allowing women to join.

The 2020 tournament will be the 149th edition of Britain's golf major and the 15th time it has been held on the links course at Sandwich. Northern Irishman Darren Clarke was the last to triumph there in 2011.

"I have so many wonderful memories from that week at Sandwich and I will be thrilled to go back there for The Open in three years' time," Clarke said in a statement.

Royal St George's first hosted the tournament in 1894 and has seen the likes of Henry Cotton, Greg Norman and Sandy Lyle emerge victorious.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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