Sophia Popov snub is as extraordinary as it is shameful for women’s golf

German’s unlikely triumph at Royal Troon gave her sport rare exposure but the fairytale has been lashed with a hammer

Golf doesn’t have an equivalent to the own goal, which is just as well for those who administer the second women’s major of the year. If such a straightforward comparison existed, the ANA Inspiration might have been subject to more candid criticism than has already been the case. Matters relating to Sophia Popov, golf’s player of the moment, depict a sport unwilling to help itself.

Popov delivered one of the finest stories of this sporting year when easing to Women’s Open glory at Royal Troon. She began the tournament as the world’s 304rd-ranked player, her last payday had been as a caddie for a close friend and within the past 12 months the German had given serious consideration to retiring from the game. Popov’s tears and detailed depiction of earlier struggles added to the fairytale and should be embraced by a sport seeking to emerge from prehistoric attitudes.