Annika Sorenstam is playing against men at The Colonial

The Royal and Ancient Club has dismissed the idea that women golfers might be allowed to play in the Open.

The confirmation of the R&A's stance comes at a time when women's world number one Annika Sorenstam is preparing to play in the US men's tour's Colonial tournament in Texas on 22-25 May.

Peter Dawson, secretary of the R&A, said: "Never is a long time, but at the moment the [Open] is for male golfers and for the foreseeable future it will stay that way.

"There is a marked difference between the abilities (of the two sexes) and I think it is right that they should be segregated and that there's a Women's Open and an Open."

Ernie Els begins the defence of his Open title on 17 July at Royal St George's - a club which does not have any women members - in Sandwich, Kent.

I really don't think there's a huge appetite for the (all-male membership) subject from the public Peter Dawson R&A secretary

Last month's US Masters at the Augusta National was dogged by protests over Augusta's all-male membership policy, and many are predicting similar problems for Royal St George's.

Augusta has not moved on the issue and it appears unlikely that Royal St George's - or indeed the all-male Royal and Ancient - will change either.

Speaking on Tuesday, club captain David Bonsall said: "Royal St George's is a private members club and we've not had any push from the lady golfers who play here to become members.

"To date we don't have any [female members], but they are most welcome to come and play and enjoy the hospitality of the club - and a lot do."

Dawson also said that the issue is only of interest to the media.

"I've been in my job three and a half years and I've had fewer than five letters or contacts from the public about this issue, whereas I've had three to four thousand contacts from members of the media," he said.

"I really don't think there's a huge appetite for the subject from the public."