ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Organizers of the British Open have refused a request by former champion John Daly to use a golf cart at the upcoming championship in Royal Portrush.
Daly had applied to use a cart because of his arthritic right knee.
The R&A says it was declining the request because “walking the course is an integral part of the championship and is central to the tradition of links golf.” It said it was important to “ensure that, as far as possible, the challenge is the same for all players in the field.”
The governing body says Portrush in Northern Ireland was not suited to golf carts, and was concerned that “some parts of the course, where there are severe slopes and swales, would be inaccessible.”
In its statement released Saturday, the R&A said “we appreciate the difficulty John is facing and have full sympathy for him as this is clearly a serious, long-term condition.”
The PGA of America allowed Daly to use a cart at this year’s PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. He was the first player to ride in a cart at a major since Casey Martin in the U.S. Open at Olympic Club in 1998 and 2012.
Reacting to the R&A’s decision, Daly said on Twitter he was “quite disappointed” and he “could not disagree more with their conclusions.”
Daly, the 1995 champion at St. Andrews, says he is aiming to take part in the British Open nonetheless, adding “fingers crossed I can make it thru the pain.”
PGA: Matthew Wolff shot a 9-under 62 to share the lead with Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau at 15 under after three rounds of the inaugural 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota.
Morikawa shot a 64 at the TPC Twin Cities, while DeChambeau had a 70.
Wolff, 20, won the NCAA championship on Memorial Day and is playing in his third event since turning professional, and the 22-year-old Morikawa is playing his fourth event.
DeChambeau, who opened the day with a two-shot lead, is vying for his sixth career win and first since the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in November.
Seeking his first tour win in 31 starts, Wyndham Clark, 25, shot a 64 and was tied for fourth with Adam Hadwin (69) at 14 under.
LPGA: A late slip cost Sung Hyun Park control and she slipped into a four-way tie for the lead going into the final round of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in Oneida, Wisconsin.
Park, who returned to No. 1 in the world after winning last week in Arkansas, made double bogey on the par-5 15th and shot a 3-under 69. She was tied for the lead at 20 under with Shanshan Feng (65), Tiffany Joh (66), and Ariya Jutanugarn (67).
EUROPEAN TOUR: Robert Rock narrowly missed a 30-foot putt for eagle in the Irish Open that would have given him the second round of 59 in European Tour history.
The Englishman settled for a 10-under 60 and a one-stroke lead over Rafa Cabrera-Bello (63) and Eddie Pepperell (66).
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