Anderton to lead R& A push for inclusivity

Phil Anderton, the former chief executive of Hearts and t he S cottish Rugby Union, has been appointed chief development officer by the R& A and will seek to make golf more inclusive.

The experienced Andert on has held a number of key jobs in a variety of sports and has a reputation a s a moderniser.

He earned t h e n i c k - name “Fire - works Phil” duri ng his t i me at t he SRU for introducing spectacul a r pyrot e c hnics i nt o the pre- match entertainment. He then worked for Hearts during the early, rollercoaster days of the Vladimir Romanov era.

He also has experience in tennis with the ATP Tour.

Anderton’s remit at the R& Awill include “strategic and operational responsibilities for golf development and amateur championships”. He will also focus on sustainability and the British Golf Museum.

An d e r t o n s a i d : “Ou r goal is to ensure the sport thrives by becoming more appealing, accessible and inclusive and the R& A has a huge role to play in driving that effort.”