The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Bingham betting rap
Former world snooker champion Stuart Bingham has said he will accept whatever punishment comes his way after admitting he broke the sport’s betting rules.
Bingham, 40, was charged on Wednesday with a breach of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association regulations. Charley Hull would have no hesitation in playing at Muirfield, which she believes could host the British Women’s Open after overturning its ban on female membership.
The East Lothian course was immediately removed from the Open championship rota after a first vote narrowly failed to achieve the twothirds majority required in May last year.
However, Henry Fairweather, the captain of theHonourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers which owns and runs Muirfield, announced on Tuesday that the rule change had been passed by 498 votes to 123 after a second ballot, with 80.2% of members in favour.
That decision was swiftly followed by one from the R&A which means Muirfield, which has hosted the Open 16 times, will again be eligible to stage the sport’s oldest major championship.
Hull, Britain’s number one and ranked 15th in the world, said: “I’m happy it has changed. The Women’s British Open could be played there one day now.
“I’d play there. It’s a good golf course. I don’t have to go into the clubhouse. A golf course is a golf course to me.”
Hull has called for change for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Kasumigaseki Country Club golf venue does not permit full women members.