The Scottish golf club Muirfield will not stage another Open Championship after maintaining its ban on women members in a vote described as indefensible and embarrassing.
The club said voting in favour of allowing women had fallen just short of the required two thirds majority.
The tournament's governing body the Royal and Ancient said it would not stage the Open at a venue that does not admit women as members.
The Open won't be going to Muirfield after it maintained its 'no women' policy. Photo: Supplied
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Muirfield's stance was "simply indefensible".
To admit women golfers as members, Muirfield which is a privately owned links course, needed two thirds (432) of its 648 eligible voters to back the move.
But after a two-year consultation process it fell short.
Of the 616 members who voted, 397 - or 64% - voted for the resolution, while 219 (36%) voted against it.
Muirfield captain Henry Fairweather, who announced the result of the ballot, says the club committee recommended members vote for change but as the two thirds majority required for change wasn't met the club, will retain its men-only membership policy.
-BBC