Martin Slumbers is the CEO of the R&A. He commented on Tuesday the announcement of LIV Golf, PGA Tour, and DP World Tour merging under the umbrella of a new for-profit corporation that has yet to be named.
The R&A is the governing body of golf for most countries outside of the United States and Mexico. The R&A, which was originally part of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club and is now an independent governing organization, is separate from the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour). The R&A is responsible for the Open Championship. In the United States, it’s known as the British Open. The R&A, in cooperation with the USGA determines the Rules of Golf.
The R&A did not make it clear whether they were aware of the merger before Tuesday’s announcement. has expressed shock at the news. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the USGA hadn’t made any official statements regarding the merger.
Slumbers’ full statement, as head of R&A from 2015:
“We are delighted that an agreement was reached, which will allow men’s professional to golf to move forward in a collaborative and innovative manner. We are deeply concerned about the future of golf and committed to making sure that it continues to flourish for many years. This agreement is a major step towards achieving this goal for golf. We look forward to working together with the new entity in the interest of the sport worldwide.”
