A bit like the Old Course that sits directly below his office window, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers’ annual sit-down with members of the UK media typically offers up all kinds of angles.
The tournament will mark the first time in the European Tour Qualifying School’s 45-year history that an event will be staged in a country outside Europe.
Since 2003 – the year after the USGA and R&A released the Joint Statement of Principles as a notice that they would be monitoring more closely the effects of advancing equipment technology on the game – distance on the PGA Tour has jumped 7.6 yards.