John Daly has withdrawn from the 148th Open Championship on medical grounds after the R&A have rejected his request to be allowed to use a buggy to compete at Royal Portrush.
Daly, who was allowed to use a buggy at last month’s US Open, has been denied the same opportunity at Portrush, and with his knee injury making walking 18 holes all but impossible, Daly has decided not to take part. His place will be taken by first reserve Kevin Streelman from America.
A statement issued by the R&A on July 6 said: “We have carefully considered the request from John Daly to use a buggy at The Open. We appreciate the difficulty John is facing and have full sympathy for him as this is clearly a serious, long-term condition. Having considered all of the relevant factors, the Championship Committee has decided to decline his request.
“We believe that walking the course is an integral part of the Championship, and is central to the tradition of links golf, which is synonymous with The Open. We must also ensure that, as far as possible, the challenge is the same for all players in the field.
“The terrain at Royal Portrush is not suited to buggies, and indeed the club itself does not permit their use. We have a serious concern that some parts of the course, where there are severe slopes and swales, would be inaccessible.
“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe it is the right one for The Open. John has a special place in our hearts as a Champion Golfer and he will always be welcome at the Championship both at Royal Portrush and in future.”