Member Insights: The R&A Innovates With Partners To Provide E-Open For Fans

When The Open Championship, one of sport’s great events of each year, was forced to be cancelled by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the R&A lost their keystone event for 2020. By innovating, they have found a way to keep partners and fans involved says John Espley, Head of Commercial Partnerships at The R&A.

Mastercard ambassadors Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell will be swapping their clubs for their keyboards as they face off in an all-star live exhibition match on Wednesday 12 August as part of the e-Open presented by Mastercard.

The showcase encounter between the two Major champions will be played over the back nine holes of Royal St George’s and will be made available to fans around the world via a livestream broadcast on The Open’s Official YouTube channel.

“In a year when The Open was cancelled, we wanted to create a digital experience so fans all over the globe could still enjoy elements of The Open”

So where the idea to create an event like this come from?

John Espley, The R&A’s Head of Commercial Partnerships, says:“As with many rights-holders, we continue to look for ways to enhance the overall product offering we provide our existing fans, but also seek to attract and engage with new audiences. In a year when The Open was cancelled, we wanted to create a digital experience so fans all over the globe could still enjoy elements of The Open virtually, with the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes.

How has the event been made possible by the R&A’s partners?

“The e-Open has been a fully collaborative initiative between The R&A, Mastercard – Patron of The Open, and WGT by Top Golf. Each partner has brought their own individual skills and attributes to the project with the outcome being something we hope will be really entertaining, for both those fans who participate in The e-Open, as well as those who tune in for the live streams.”

How does the competition work?

“Players of all skill levels from beginners to advanced gamers can take part in The e-Open on the WGT by Top Golf platform, where The Open’s iconic links golf features are impeccably recreated digitally to give fans a true celebration of The Open.”

“Each partner has brought their own individual skills and attributes to the project.”

The tournament has reached over 95,000 entries in the first three weeks of qualifying stages and the exhibition match is set to add to the excitement and drama of the inaugural event.

Justin Rose, who would have been making his nineteenth appearance at The Open this summer, said: “The e-Open is a fantastic initiative introduced by The R&A in partnership with Mastercard and I hope many fans around the world enjoy experiencing the unrelenting test of links golf from the comfort of their own homes.”

Graeme McDowell expressed his excitement about taking on Rose in the unique clash: “Playing against Justin in The e-Open Exhibition Match is going to be great fun, it’s very realistic, and I hope that contestants get as much fun out of playing a virtual Royal St Georges as I do from playing in The Open itself.”

The action will be live from 9pm BST on Wednesday 12 August via The Open’s Official YouTube channel.