Royal Troon, Scotland … Martin Slumbers, as R & A CEO, sought to assure players and fans where will not be a repeat at this week’s 145th Open Championship of the events that marred the final round of the recent US Open.

American Dustin Johnson had to compete the closing eight holes of the year’s second Major knowing he was facing a one shot penalty over an incident on the 5th green and despite a referee with Johnson’s and Lee Westwood’s group declaring Johnson had not caused his ball to move.

Slumbers was asked to address this matter at the now annul R & A Press Conference and Slumber’s first at CEO of the St. Andrews based ruling body.

R & A CEO Martin Slumbers assures Open Championship golfers and fans there will not be a repeat of the ‘Oakmont’ rules fiasco.

“The team have been thinking about how to respond and monitor any sort of chain of command around rules for over 10 years now,” said Slumbers.

“And about 10 years ago a fundamental change was made by the team here, which I think makes a big difference in the way we would deal with any situation that arises in the next four days, which is that the chief referee doesn’t leave the compound (R & A on-site administrative area).

“He has access to video replays in his office, and in addition to that, either Peter (Unsworth, Chairman Championship Committee) or I are also always here.

“So we are very focused … rules are complex.  This is a big, big animal out there being played on.  All sorts of things can happen in this game.

“It is the speed and the clarity with which we respond, which is something that we’re very focused on, have been for a number of years.  And I think it’s that function of us sitting here and being able to respond and provide instructions back to the referees, is the difference in how we would deal with it.”