US Open winner Wyndham Clark saw the funny side after claiming an unfortunate deflection off someone’s tablet device led to an embarrassing fluffed shot on day one at the Open.

The 29-year-old American, playing his first major since last month’s memorable triumph at the Los Angeles Country Club, got his feet tangled and hardly moved the ball from thick rough on the 14th hole at Royal Liverpool on Thursday.

The ball had landed there after a wayward tee shot took a ricochet.

From there a bogey five was an acceptable outcome, avoiding serious damage on his way to a three-under-par 68.

Clark said: “(I was) a little unfortunate off the tee. Obviously hitting the guy is never good, but it really went into a bad spot.

“If I didn’t hit the guy, it probably would have been in fine grass and I would have been able to hit it up near the green.

“I had an awful lie and hit it about two feet, then got very fortunate I didn’t go in the bunker.

“Getting up and down and making about a 20-footer really is a round-saver. Making that putt made me feel like I regained the momentum.”

Asked if the person he hit was all right, he told reporters: “Yes, it hit his iPad, didn’t hit him.”

That question was then followed up with another about the state of the electronic item.

Laughing, Clark added: “I don’t care now. It screwed me up!”

Tommy Fleetwood rode a wave of home support to the top of the leaderboard on day one of the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Roared on by a partisan crowd, the 32-year-old from Southport carded six birdies and a solitary bogey in an opening 66 to share the clubhouse lead with South African amateur Christo Lamprecht on five under par.

Former champion Stewart Cink, who denied 59-year-old Tom Watson a fairytale victory at Turnberry in 2009, rolled back the years himself with a flawless 68 matched by US Open champion Wyndham Clark, with Jordan Spieth and club member Matthew Jordan round in 69.

Fleetwood revelled in the support of the large galleries as he bids to win his first major title in memory of his late mother Sue, who died on July 21 last year.

“It really was a great day,” Fleetwood said. “It’s always very nerve-wracking playing in front of your home crowd in such a big event, but I got off to a decent start.

“I was actually happy to have to get up and down on the first, holing a putt really settled me down and to get that going on the back nine was really, really cool. To get that support all day was amazing.

“If you’re not going to enjoy this atmosphere and these experiences then what’s the point? Make sure you have the time of your life out there.

“Being this close to home is the coolest thing and I’m so grateful to everyone that cheers me on.”

Lamprecht had set the early target thanks to a round containing seven birdies and two bogeys, the 6ft 8in 22-year-old having qualified by winning the Amateur Championship at nearby Hillside a month ago.

Aided by playing alongside mentor Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 winner, Lamprecht carded the lowest round by an amateur in any major since England’s Tom Lewis shot 65 at Royal St George’s in 2011.

“I’d probably say the first tee shot was the only bit of nerves I had all day,” Lamprecht said.

“I just kind of walked off the first tee box after hitting my snap hook drive, and my caddie just told me, ‘listen, you’re playing The Open as an amateur, no need to stress’. We kind of had fun from there.

“It’s pretty surreal to be leading. [But] I think I earned my spot to be here. I think the way I played today I earned to be on the top of the leaderboard, as of now.

“It’s not a cocky thing to say. I just personally think I believe in myself, and I guess stepping on to the first tee box if you’re a professional or a competitor, you should be believing that you should be the best standing there.”

Jordan struck the opening tee shot at 6.35am, but the early start did not prevent him attracting plenty of support from fellow Royal Liverpool members, friends and family.

“Amazing. I’m kind of running out of words to describe it,” Jordan said of the reception he received. “It was crazy, mental, loud – everything that I could have wished for.

“I’m certainly trying to think of a better experience than that, and I don’t think I can.”

The controversial new 17th hole claimed its first victim with Lucas Herbert, joint-leader at the time on three under, making a triple-bogey at the 126-yard par three.

Herbert missed the green to the left, chipped across the putting surface into a bunker, left his next in the sand and eventually finished with a six.

Amateur champion Christo Lamprecht outscored the professionals to set the clubhouse lead on his Open debut as 50-year-old 2009 champion Stewart Cink rolled back the years to put himself in contention.

The 22-year-old Lamprecht, a 6ft 8in South African who qualified by winning his title at Hillside just up the coast in Southport a month ago, posted an impressive five-under 66 to set the mark for some of the bigger names going out later in the day.

His round was the lowest opening 18 holes by an amateur in a major since England’s Tom Lewis shot 65 in 2011 at St George’s.

Cink, the man who denied five-time champion Tom Watson’s potential fairytale Open victory at the age of 59 at Turnberry 14 years ago, also found some form to follow him home on three under.

There was also a dream start for Royal Liverpool member Matthew Jordan, given the honour of hitting the first tee shot at 6.35am after coming through final qualifying at nearby West Lancashire, who carded a two-under 69.

Lamprecht reeled off three birdies in four holes from the third as he turned in 32 and picked up another shot at the 10th where he holed a 13-foot putt.

The big-hitting South African’s aggressive approach got the better of him at the 387-yard par-four 11th when his drive off the tee found the rough and ended in his first bogey of the day.

However, he chipped in from the front of the 14th and then also birdied the 602-yard par-five 15th to get to five under and, although he bogeyed the next, he was on in two at the par-five last and two-putted for his seventh birdie of the day.

Cink turned in 33 after birdies at the fifth and seventh and picked up a further shot at the 15th to finish bogey-free two strokes behind.

Two shots further back was Jordan, a member at Royal Liverpool since the age of seven, who found his feet after a nervy opening hole which required a 14ft par save.

Cheered on by a supportive crowd which included family, friends and fellow members of the DP World Tour, he birdied the second and then produced a brilliant three-wood approach to 10 feet from 256 yards at the par-five fifth, which just carried the greenside bunker to set up a two-putt birdie.

He turned at two under but after his second bogey of the day at the 11th, where he found himself up against the face of a bunker, he bounced back with a birdie at the 16th.

On his reception during his round, Jordan – who holds the course record of 62 – said: “Amazing. I’m kind of running out of words to describe it. It was crazy, mental, loud – everything that I could have wished for.

“I’m certainly trying to think of a better experience than that, and I don’t think I can.”

Southport’s Tommy Fleetwood got to two under through 11 holes with world number one Scottie Scheffler a shot further back.

The controversial new 17th hole claimed its first victim with Lucas Herbert, joint-leader at the time on three under, making a triple-bogey at the 126-yard hole.

He missed the green to the left, chipped across the putting surface into a bunker, left his next in the sand and eventually finished with a six.

Amateur champion Christo Lamprecht outscored the professionals on the outward nine of his Open debut as he took an early lead on the first day.

The 6ft 8in South African, who qualified by winning the 128th Amateur Championship at Hillside just up the coast in Southport a month ago, reeled off three birdies in four holes from the third at Royal Liverpool to turn in a three-under 32.

That saw the 22-year-old overtake Matthew Jordan, a member at the Hoylake links, who had enjoyed a dream start having been given the honour of hitting the first shot at 6.35am.

Following a nervy opening hole, where he converted a 14-foot putt to save par after finding a greenside bunker, the 27-year-old DP World Tour pro – who has been a member at Royal Liverpool since the age of seven – birdied the next from 18 feet and was off and running in front of a supportive crowd which included family, friends and fellow members.

A brilliant three-wood from 256 yards at the par-five fifth just carried the greenside bunker and set up a 10-foot eagle chance and while he could not capitalise he settled for a second birdie which took him to two under.

Jordan reached the turn at two under as after bogeying the short sixth he sank a nine-footer at the 436-yard eighth but another dropped shot at the 11th, where he found himself up against the face of a bunker, opened the door for Lamprecht to charge through.

He was closely followed by 50-year-old 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink who was a shot behind after birdies at the fifth and seventh.

With the sun now out after a cloudy start, world number one Scottie Scheffler and playing partner Tommy Fleetwood both parred their opening hole.

But in the group behind Cameron Smith began the defence of the title he won at St Andrews with a birdie from 12 feet.

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy, straight off the back of Sunday’s Scottish Open win, was due out at 2.59pm with Masters champion and world number three Jon Rahm and England’s Justin Rose in the marquee group of the afternoon.

Royal Liverpool member Matthew Jordan used home advantage to good effect to make a dream start to the 151st Open in Hoylake.

The 27-year-old, playing in the tournament for the second time after qualifying at nearby West Lancashire, delighted a huge local following by moving into the lead at two under early in his round.

Having been given the honour of being first man to tee off at 6.35am he had a nervy opening hole after finding the rough and then a bunker and holing a 14-foot putt to save par.

But with the nerves settled, the DP World Tour professional recorded the tournament’s first birdie at the second hole, which he has always played as the 18th but has changed this week for an improved tournament layout, from 18 feet and he was off and running.

A brilliant three-wood from 256 yards at the par-five fifth just carried the greenside bunker and set up a 10-foot eagle chance and while he could not capitalise he settled for a second birdie which took him to two under and one ahead of playing partner Richie Ramsay, of Scotland, and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox.

Big names going out in the morning included defending champion Cameron Smith alongside Xander Schauffele and US Open winner Wyndham Clark, one group behind world number one Scottie Scheffler, home hope Tommy Fleetwood and Australian Adam Scott.

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy, straight off the back of Sunday’s Scottish Open win, was due out at 2.59pm with Masters champion and world number three Jon Rahm and England’s Justin Rose in the marquee group of the afternoon.

Royal Liverpool member Matthew Jordan had a nervy start to the 151st Open but managed to avoid an early mishap as play got under way at Hoylake in cloudy but calm conditions.

The DP World Tour professional, playing in his second championship, was given the honour of hitting the first shot at 6.35am and was welcomed onto the first tee by an appreciative crowd, many of whom were family, friends and fellow patrons of the club.

And although he pulled his drive into the left rough of the 444-yard hole – which he has always played as the 17th but is changed this week for an improved tournament layout – he was loudly cheered by the packed grandstand and departed the tee waving to spectators.

Having then hit into a greenside bunker, he splashed out to 12 feet and holed a par putt.

With his nerves settled, Jordan played the second hole much better, finding the fairway, hitting his approach to 17ft and holing to loud cheers as he took the early lead with the tournament’s first birdie of the day.

Big names going out in the morning included defending champion Cameron Smith alongside Xander Schauffele and US Open winner Wyndham Clark, one group behind world number one Scottie Scheffler, home hope Tommy Fleetwood and Australian Adam Scott.

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy, straight off the back of Sunday’s Scottish Open win, was due out at 2.59pm with Masters champion and world number three Jon Rahm and England’s Justin Rose in the marquee group of the afternoon.

Former Open champion Shane Lowry has expressed his determination to double his major tally and join the list of Irish winners at Royal Liverpool.

Rory McIlroy won the Open the last time it was staged in Hoylake in 2014, while Fred Daly lifted the Claret Jug at the same venue in 1947 and Joe Carr claimed the Amateur Championship in 1953.

Lowry’s own Open triumph came on home soil at Royal Portrush in 2019 and the 36-year-old has been quietly rounding into form with top-20 finishes in his last three starts.

“I really struggled on the greens at the start of the year and then around the end of May I turned the corner and started to see a few going in again,” Lowry told the PA news agency.

“In the last few tournaments I’ve had days where I’ve felt really good on the greens. It’s not a nice place to be when you’re not holing any so it has been very encouraging.”

Lowry carded a closing 65 at Hoylake in 2014 to register his first top 10 in a major and contended in the 2021 US PGA Championshp and last year’s Masters.

“Since Portrush I feel like my major performances have been pretty good,” he added.

“I’ve given myself a couple of half chances here and there and I’ve had some nice finishes. I love the big weeks, it’s what I play the game for. It’s what gets me going and I get very excited going into major weeks.”

Is there anything new for 2023?

The 17th is a brand new par three which features an “infinity green” that offers views of the Dee Estuary, but which is protected by run-off areas and deep bunkers which could lead to some high scores. The creation of the hole has also allowed for a re-routing of the closing stretch to include two par fives over 600 yards and the 136-yard 17th.

Key tee times

0635 – Matthew Jordan, Richie Ramsay, Branden Grace.
0947 – Tommy Fleetwood, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott.
0958 – Cameron Smith, Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele.
1459 – Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose.
1616 – Hurly Long, Seungsu Han, Marco Penge.

Weather forecast

Mostly sunny with a small chance of the odd light morning shower. Dry with prolonged sunshine from midday. Moderate west to northwesterly winds with gusts of 15-20mph from late morning.

Drama has not been in short supply off the course in recent times as men’s professional golf suffered a seismic split before an equally shocking possibility of peace.

On the course, in this year’s majors at least, that has not been the case as Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Wyndham Clark won the Masters, US PGA and US Open respectively with relatively little final-round fuss.

All that could be about to change if the R&A get their way in the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where changes made since Rory McIlroy’s victory in 2014 are intended to produce a dramatic climax to the year’s final major.

Most significantly, a new par-three – the 17th – has been created as part of a re-routing of the closing stretch which could play a large role in deciding who is left holding the Claret Jug on Sunday evening.

“One of the sentiments that was felt after 2006 and 2014 was that the course could do with more drama,” R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said.

“It was actually the club that came to us and said there was a lot of talk around flipping what was the 15th up on to the dunes. We came and looked at it and we thought, ‘Yeah, that could really add some drama’. There is a lot of jeopardy there.

“I think it fits well. It also enabled us to reconfigure the final bit around there. So the final four holes will be a 610-yard par five, 480-yard par four, 136-yard par three and a 620-yard par five.

“A lot of things could happen on that (stretch) and I think that drama will unfold come Sunday.”

A finish similar to Sunday’s Scottish Open would certainly be welcome, McIlroy defying strong winds to birdie the last two holes and defy home favourite Robert MacIntyre the title at the Renaissance Club.

It completed the ideal preparation for the world number two as he bids to end a major drought which stretches back to the 2014 US PGA, victory at Valhalla coming just seven days after winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Even the weather seems to have turned in McIlroy’s favour as a hot spell gave way to wetter conditions which have always suited his powerful game and high ball flight.

“I was expecting it to be more like 2006 when I was looking at it five, six weeks ago, and I was excited about that,” Slumbers added. “But every time I get excited about a nice brown golf course, mother nature comes in.

“But on the other side of it, the rough has come up. When it was brown the rough had burnt out and it was a different golf course. My worry is now what the forecast is for Saturday and Sunday. It’s going to be wet or it’s going to be very wet. We’ll see.”

With McIlroy cancelling his formal pre-tournament press conference for the second major running, it has fallen to other players to speak about his chances, with two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington asked if a return to Hoylake could be the missing link to major success.

“Yes, of course it could,” Harrington said. “He’s got to like the golf course. He’s got to be familiar with the course. Everything seems to be setting up nicely in terms of conditions and what we are expecting.

“And the other thing is that he can clearly win any week, so you have two things going for him.

“There’s no doubt that pretty much everybody will look at the leaderboard to see how he is getting on. He’s a person of interest.”

Drama has not been in short supply off the course in recent times as men’s professional golf suffered a seismic split before an equally shocking possibility of peace.

On the course, in this year’s majors at least, that has not been the case as Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Wyndham Clark won the Masters, US PGA and US Open respectively with relatively little final-round fuss.

All that could be about to change if the R&A get their way in the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where changes made since Rory McIlroy’s victory in 2014 are intended to produce a dramatic climax to the year’s final major.

Most significantly, a new par-three – the 17th – has been created as part of a re-routing of the closing stretch which could play a large role in deciding who is left holding the Claret Jug on Sunday evening.

“One of the sentiments that was felt after 2006 and 2014 was that the course could do with more drama,” R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said.

“It was actually the club that came to us and said there was a lot of talk around flipping what was the 15th up on to the dunes. We came and looked at it and we thought, ‘Yeah, that could really add some drama’. There is a lot of jeopardy there.

“I think it fits well. It also enabled us to reconfigure the final bit around there. So the final four holes will be a 610-yard par five, 480-yard par four, 136-yard par three and a 620-yard par five.

“A lot of things could happen on that (stretch) and I think that drama will unfold come Sunday.”

A finish similar to Sunday’s Scottish Open would certainly be welcome, McIlroy defying strong winds to birdie the last two holes and defy home favourite Robert MacIntyre the title at the Renaissance Club.

It completed the ideal preparation for the world number two as he bids to end a major drought which stretches back to the 2014 US PGA, victory at Valhalla coming just seven days after winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Even the weather seems to have turned in McIlroy’s favour as a hot spell gave way to wetter conditions which have always suited his powerful game and high ball flight.

“I was expecting it to be more like 2006 when I was looking at it five, six weeks ago, and I was excited about that,” Slumbers added. “But every time I get excited about a nice brown golf course, mother nature comes in.

“But on the other side of it, the rough has come up. When it was brown the rough had burnt out and it was a different golf course. My worry is now what the forecast is for Saturday and Sunday. It’s going to be wet or it’s going to be very wet. We’ll see.”

With McIlroy cancelling his formal pre-tournament press conference for the second major running, it has fallen to other players to speak about his chances, with two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington asked if a return to Hoylake could be the missing link to major success.

“Yes, of course it could,” Harrington said. “He’s got to like the golf course. He’s got to be familiar with the course. Everything seems to be setting up nicely in terms of conditions and what we are expecting.

“And the other thing is that he can clearly win any week, so you have two things going for him.

“There’s no doubt that pretty much everybody will look at the leaderboard to see how he is getting on. He’s a person of interest.”

Tommy Fleetwood hopes to produce a special performance in memory of his late mother as he targets Open victory in his native north west this week.

It is a year this week since the Southport player’s mother Sue died, and Fleetwood wants to mark the anniversary with a strong showing in front of family and friends at Royal Liverpool.

The 32-year-old will begin his latest Open campaign at 9.47am on Thursday, playing alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and Adam Scott in the opening round in Hoylake.

“It’ll be different,” said Fleetwood, who is currently ranked 21st in the world, at a press conference. “It’ll be a year on Friday.

“We know that that’s coming up. It would be nice to think she’s watching over.

“It’ll be a special event. I would love to play well and I would love to give myself a chance come Saturday and Sunday and have something to aim for in that sense.

“Everybody is doing really well – I have a great family and a lot of support, and my dad is out here.

“I think the best thing is seeing how well he’s doing and obviously giving him something to enjoy watching this week.”

Fleetwood made his Open debut at Hoylake in 2014 but missed the cut, as he did at St Andrews the following year and Troon in 2016.

He failed to shine in another Open close to home at Birkdale in 2017, when he finished in a tie for 27th, but his runner-up showing at Portrush in 2019 and a tied-fourth placing at St Andrews last year underlined his pedigree.

Fleetwood said: “Winning a major is a dream, or winning The Open is a huge, huge dream.

“No matter where that is, that’s always something I’ve visualised and always thought about but, having the opportunity to do it so close to where you grew up, is something that’s very unique and very special.

“For sure I’ve pictured it a lot and visualised it a lot. I just haven’t done it yet in person, so that’s hopefully the next thing.”

Fleetwood believes his grouping for the opening two rounds will help bring the best out of him.

He said: “The first thing you always do is look at the draw, and I was very happy with the guys that I’m playing with – great golfers, both very, very good at winning tournaments and stuff.

“It’s always good to be around those people that are at the top of the game and make sure you’re always trying to keep pace with them.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers insists there has been no intelligence surrounding any potential protest at The Open this week, but remains confident in the “significant” security procedures at Royal Liverpool.

Slumbers said “one of the most senior players” had been targeted at St Andrews last year,  but nothing public materialised after security was increased at specific locations.

Players have been advised not to get involved if any protests occur after the environmental group Just Stop Oil targeted Wimbledon and the Ashes Test at Lord’s, where England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow carried one protester off the pitch.

“We’ve had no direct intelligence,” Slumbers said on the likelihood of protests at the year’s final major championship.

“There was direct intelligence last year and most people in this room don’t know The Open was targeted last year.

“We had a very credible threat that was reported to us that one of the most senior players in the field was going to be targeted by an environmental activist.

“We have significant security procedures in place, we work with law enforcement agencies and we will wait and see what happens.

“We have advised the players please don’t get involved and I stand by that. We have enough things in place to be able to deal with that. Beyond that I think security matters I need to keep confidential.”

Masters champion Jon Rahm joked on Tuesday that any would-be protesters invading the course had better hope he was in a good mood at the time.

The world number three, who is known for the occasional fiery on-course outburst and will play the first two rounds in a marquee group with Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, said: “I do have a reputation so I hope they don’t catch me on a bad hole.”

Speaking at a media day at Hoylake in April, championships director Rhodri Price said the R&A would continue to engage with protest groups ahead of the Open, which is set to attract 260,000 spectators during the week – a record for an Open outside of St Andrews.

“It’s not something we are reactive to, we are very pro-active,” said Price, who said the R&A has the capacity to search all bags being brought into the course.

“We have all of the contingency planning, a monthly security group, intelligence cells that gather all this information. In fact they engage with all the protest groups to try to make sure we can provide for them if they were to attend.

“We’ve had several in the past that we were able to accommodate so that they can get their message across in a controlled environment.”

Tiger Woods has described his victory at Royal Liverpool in 2006 as the “most gratifying” of his three Open titles.

Woods has not travelled to Hoylake for the 151st Open as he continues to recover from surgery, but the 15-time major winner recorded a video message to thank the Association of Golf Writers for being given their award for Outstanding Services to Golf.

“Sorry I can’t be with you tonight,” Woods said.

“I just want to say that all my years of playing the Open Championship, starting at St Andrews in 1995, have been some of the greatest moments and greatest memories I have had, not just in my golfing career, but in my whole life.

“That week (at Hoylake) in 2006 was a very emotional one. It was the first championship I ever won without my dad being there.

“It was a tough, tough week, but also probably the most gratifying that I have ever experienced over there.”

Woods broke down in tears on the 18th green after successfully defending his Open title in 2006, his first victory since the death of his father Earl in May.

In his video message the 47-year-old fondly recalled being offered cups of coffee by journalists as he spoke after compiling a third round of 81 in horrendous conditions at Muirfield in 2002.

But he also could not resist referencing “an interesting side” to his relationship with the media and “some very creative writers and eclectic stories” that have been written over the years.

“I just want to say thank you for bringing joy to my life when I go over there to play the Open Championship; the history, the knowledge, the passing on of stories so I can pass them on to my son and to future generations,” Woods concluded.

Woods pulled out of the Masters during the third round in April, saying at the time it was due to plantar fasciitis.

However, he then had a subtalar fusion procedure in New York to address the problem caused by a previous fracture of his talus, a bone in the ankle joint.

Matt Fitzpatrick described it as “interesting” and, perhaps keen to avoid making headlines, was unwilling to expand any further.

Tommy Fleetwood called it “very penal” and believes it could be pivotal to the outcome of the 151st Open Championship, while Jon Rahm’s verdict of “I see what they tried to do” was hardly effusive praise.

The subject in question was the new par-three 17th at Royal Liverpool – a hole appropriately named ‘Little Eye’ given its length and the scrutiny it continues to receive ahead of the year’s final major.

“I was chatting to one of the players who were there last week and they were saying somebody could make a really high number on that hole,” 2019 champion Shane Lowry told the PA news agency.

“I think short par threes are the best in the world as long as they’re not too tricky.”

Much will depend on the strength and direction of the wind, with the hole measuring 136 yards on the card but capable of playing even shorter.

“I see what they tried to do,” Rahm said. “The old par-three, the 15th, was the complete opposite. You had a short downhill hole, most likely downwind, with basically all the edges sloping towards the centre of the green.

“I thought it was a good hole. You could make a birdie, and if you miss the green, a bogey was lurking.

“This time they made a really difficult turtleshell par-three. If you hit a good shot, put it on the green, you have a clear look at birdie. If you miss the green, you have a clear look at bogey.

“It’s way more difficult than it was before. I get that you’re going for that on a championship Sunday. You have a one-shot lead, that hole can be pivotal.”

Tommy Fleetwood, who made his Open debut at Royal Liverpool in 2014, said: “You can be hitting anything from a seven iron to a lob wedge and honestly I’m not sure whether into the wind or downwind is easier.

“But it’s a very penal hole if you get it wrong. It will be really interesting to see how it plays and one thing’s for sure is that the Open won’t be over until you’re through with that hole.

“I would like the tee to be raised a bit so you can see the actual green where you’re trying to land it, but it’s a good hole. I think it’s better than what was there before.”

Rory McIlroy believes he has enjoyed the ideal preparation as he bids to end his long major drought in the 151st Open Championship.

McIlroy travelled to Hoylake on Sunday afternoon after winning the Scottish Open in brilliant fashion, the 34-year-old defying strong winds to birdie the final two holes and edge out home favourite Robert MacIntyre by a shot.

Since then the world number two has been reacquainting himself with Royal Liverpool, the venue where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2014 just a month before claiming the last of his four majors to date in the US PGA Championship.

For the second major in succession McIlroy cancelled a planned formal press conference, but he did give short interviews to TV and radio outlets.

“I could not ask for better preparation,” he told BBC Sport NI. “The way I played the last two holes (in Scotland) was an amazing finish and a perfect way to come into this week.

“I’ve had a great nine years and won a lot of tournaments but the big four have eluded me. Hopefully this week that’s something I can change.

“It’s nice to be back here. It’s not like I think about it all that often so it’s nice to come back and re-familiarise myself with the course. It’s nice to come back to a major venue you’ve won on, but it also makes you feel a bit old.”

McIlroy has recorded 19 top 10s in the 34 majors played since his last victory, with his best chances of a win coming in last year’s Open and June’s US Open.

At St Andrews McIlroy held a two-shot lead at the turn in the final round before being overhauled by an inspired Cameron Smith, while he finished a shot behind Wyndham Clark at Los Angeles Country Club following a final round containing one birdie, one bogey and 16 pars.

“It’s just golf,” he told Sky Sports News. “At the end of the day I have to go out there and try to shoot the best score I can for four days in a row and hope that is one shot better than everyone else.

“I’m just trying to keep it as simple as possible, forget all the noise, forget everything else and just go out and enjoy myself more than anything else.

“The course is great. It’s in superb condition. It’s basically how I remember it. It’s a very strategic golf course off the tee. It’s very, very well bunkered and I think the biggest challenge of this golf course is avoiding those pot bunkers off the tee.

“It’s a very strategic golf course, which I like. You really have to think your way around it and whether you challenge the bunkers or not or lay back.”

McIlroy will partner Ryder Cup team-mates Jon Rahm and Justin Rose in the first two rounds, teeing off just before 3pm on Thursday.

Rory McIlroy will go into this week’s Open Championship with high hopes of ending his long wait for a fifth major championship.

The 2014 champion has won only one major since but a combination of the return to the same Royal Liverpool course and McIlroy’s recent form, in both majors and tour events, has raised hopes this may finally be his time.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at McIlroy’s record.

Current form

McIlroy cancelled his scheduled Tuesday press conference at Hoylake but will still be the focus of attention as he goes into the Open on the back of a win at the Genesis Scottish Open, his third of the season after the CJ Cup on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

He also has runner-up finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the US Open and has finished in the top 10 in 10 of the 15 events he has played.

They include his last six starts, beginning at the US PGA Championship where he finished tied for seventh.

He matched that at both the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship and was tied ninth at the RBC Canadian Open, in addition to his US Open and Scottish results.

The latter gave him a 32nd career win across the PGA Tour and European Tour, plus the 2013 Australian Open before it became a European Tour event. That tally includes four majors but none since 2014.

Major record

When McIlroy won the 2014 US PGA Championship at Valhalla, it was his second successive major and fourth in his last 15 attempts – coming hot on the heels of his Open win and following the 2011 US Open and 2012 US PGA.

He has won none of the 33 he has contested since, with a string of near misses building the frustration.

Aside from missing the cut at this year’s Masters, he has finished in the top eight at the other six majors this season and last – including second place in Los Angeles this year and the 2022 Masters and third in last year’s Open at St Andrews.

In 58 majors in his career he has three second- and four third-place finishes to add to his four wins, with 17 top-five and 29 top-10 placings overall.

The waiting game

Should McIlroy win this or a subsequent major title, it will come after one of the longest waits in golfing history.

Only 10 players have won majors with more time elapsed between them than the eight years and 347 days from McIlroy’s 2014 US PGA win to this Sunday at Hoylake.

Julius Boros holds the record with 11 years and nine days between his US Open wins in 1952 and 1963, with Hale Irwin also winning that event 11 years apart.

Henry Cotton, Ben Crenshaw, Tiger Woods, Lee Trevino and Ernie Els won majors after a decade-long wait, with John Henry Taylor and Bob Martin narrowly exceeding nine years.

Should McIlroy not win this week, any subsequent major would take him past the latter pair to the top eight of the list. Victory this week would place him 11th behind Willie Park Sr’s 1866 and 1875 Open wins.

Those victories tended to mark something of a swansong, with only Boros and Taylor going on to add a further grand slam event afterwards. At 34, though, McIlroy is younger than almost all of those players at the time of their win – Martin was 32, with Taylor (38) the only other under 40.

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