Open Championship: Muirfield golf club back in rotation after voting to admit women

The famed links course in East Lothian, Scotland was removed from approved Open Championship venues last May after failing to approve a two-thirds member vote to include women in the club.

On Tuesday, the rule change to admit women passed on a second vote (498 to 123), allowing Muirfield to be re-instated.

"This is a significant decision for a club which was founded in 1744 and retains many of the values and aspirations of its founding members," said Henry Fairweather, captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which runs Muirfield.

"We look forward to welcoming women as members who will enjoy, and benefit from, the great traditions and friendly spirit of this remarkable club".

Muirfield has hosted The Open Championship 16 times, most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson bested Sweeden's Henrik Stenson by three strokes for the last of his five major championship victories.