Amateur Championship will now be played solely at Nairn

This summer’s Amateur Championship will now be played solely at Nairn due to the field for the event being reduced because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Joe Long of England won the last Amateur Championship, at Royal Birkdale in 2020. Picture: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images

The R&A tournament had been due to be played at both Nairn and Nairn Dunbar.

With the likelihood of international travel measures remaining in place, the Amateur will take place at Nairn from June 14-19 with a reduced field.

Entries for the event have opened, as is the case for the Women’s Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie) from June 7-12.

Phil Anderton, chief development officer at the R&A, said: “It is likely that international travel measures will remain in place for some time and so given that it may not be possible for amateur golfers in a number of countries to come to the UK we have decided to play the Amateur Championship over one venue with a reduced field size as we did last year. We would like to thank Nairn Dunbar for its support and understanding in making this change.”

In addition to earning exemptions into The Open, the US Open and by tradition, an invitation to the Masters, this year’s Amateur champion will be also given the opportunity to tee it up in an event on the European Tour.

Players reaching the semi-finals of the event will also be invited to play in a Challenge Tour event.

The winner of the Women’s Amateur Championship gains entry into the AIG Women’s Open, US Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship and Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship.

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