(Reuters) - Muirfield will hold a second vote to admit female members, the golf club confirmed, after last month's initial ballot rejected the lifting of a ban on women, leading to the historic course losing hosting rights for the British Open.
The course close to Edinburgh has retained a male-only membership policy since it was founded in 1744 and a vote in May to admit women members fell short of the required two-thirds majority.
The decision drew criticism from several top golfers, including four-times major winner Rory McIlroy, and Muirfield was removed from the list of courses that host Britain's Open championship by tournament organizers, the Royal and Ancient.