Almost a year to the day after "exploratory discussions" were announced, the Ladies' Golf Union and R&A have reached agreement on a merger between the two St Andrews-based bodies.
The LGU is the organising body for ladies' amateur golf in Great Britain & Ireland, while a wholly owned subsidiary -- LGU Championships Limited -- runs the Ricoh Women's British Open and has responsibility for preparing teams for competitions such as the Curtis Cup.
The R&A organises the Open Championship, major amateur events and international matches and, together with the United States Golf Association, governs the game of golf worldwide.