Rory McIlroy calls Muirfield women ban obscene

Rory McIlroy has responded to the vote to allow women at Muirfield, calling the time it has taken as obscene.

The vote was the second of its kind after members initially voted not to allow female members in 2016, something McIlroy had also been critical of.

It resulted in the Open being stripped from the course, but this time around members of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers voted for equality.

The results were 498 votes in favour of allowing women members and 123 against, and the R&A were quick to reinstate their status on the Open rota. While other players applauded them, McIlroy said that for it to take this long was ridiculous.

“I still think that it got to this stage is horrendous,” said McIlroy.

“We’ll go back and play the Open because they’ll let women members in, but every time I go I won’t have a great taste in my mouth.”

“I mean, in this day and age, where you’ve got women that are leaders of certain industries and women that are heads of state and not be able to join a golf course – I mean, it’s obscene.

“It’s ridiculous. So they sort of saw sense.”

On the nearly 20% who voted to maintain the ban, McIlroy said: “It’s horrendous. I mean, I just don’t get it.

“So anyway, we’ll go back there for the Open Championship at some point and I won’t be having many cups of tea with the members afterwards.”

While McIlroy stayed firmly on the critical side of the vote, many other players and organisations reacted in a more congratulatory mannor.

The Ladies European Tour were one of the firsrt to make their feelings known on the matter, before speaking to LET and Edinburgh born major winner Catriona Matthew.

Following their train of thought Matthew said “I am delighted to hear that the outcome of this second vote at Muirfield has come down in favour of embracing women members. I thin kthis is another positive step, both for Muirfield and for golf as a whole, and I think the progress the R&A has instaigaed since opening its own doors in 2014 has been very important for the game.”

She also tweeted her support:

Thomas Bjorn was one of the first to welcome Muirfield to the 21st century on twitter, while Gary Player said the vote was crucial to the future of golf.

Masters Champion Danny Willett was asked a similar question to McIlroy at Bay Hill, and he responded that he thought it was a good thing.

“I think is a good thing.  I think it shows change in what is ordinarily an incredibly old golf club and there might be some of the old things that still go on there but you know, to pass women is a big thing for that golf club.  I think that’s great.”

“I think it shows how times have changed.  It shows how golf’s changed.  I think it’s a great thing that they have done, and meant to go along with that now, from a selfish point of view, it’s back in The Open rota, and I’m looking forward to when it eventually get back there.”