ST ANDREWS, United Kingdom, July 14, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - The 150th British Open
tees off on the Old Course in St Andrews on Thursday with organisers keen for
the focus to remain on a historic championship despite the ongoing fallout
caused by the breakaway LIV Golf series.

A clutch of players who joined the Saudi-backed tour are taking part in this
week's Open after organisers the R&A opted not to ban the rebels, in contrast
to moves made by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.

Former Open champion Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Sergio
Garcia are among the LIV series members who are in St Andrews, and a victory
for one of them this weekend might not do much to ease tensions in the sport.

"Whoever wins on Sunday is going to have their name carved in history, and
I'll welcome them onto the 18th green," insisted Martin Slumbers, chief
executive of the R&A.

"This is a golf tournament. The Open is about having the best players in the
world playing, and I want to see who shoots the lowest score come Sunday
night."

Yet Slumbers also attacked the Saudi-backed series, which offers prize money
of $25 million for each 54-hole event, compared to a $14 million prize pot
for this week's Open.

The LIV model, he said, "is not in the best long-term interests of the sport
as a whole and is entirely driven by money".

"It undermines the merit-based culture and the spirit of open competition
that makes golf so special," he added.

Rory McIlroy is among the players who have voiced opposition to the new
series and the Northern Irishman would prefer not to see one of the rebels
triumph in St Andrews.

"Selfishly, for me, yes, I think it would be better for the game," he said.

Whether affiliated to the new series or not, there is a long list of
contenders looking to succeed Collin Morikawa, winner last year at Royal St
George's.

- McIlroy, Scheffler lead the contenders -

McIlroy, who won the 2014 Open at Hoylake, appears best-placed among the
European candidates during a season in which he has also come second in the
Masters and fifth at the US Open, although US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick
of England may disagree.

A long list of American contenders is led by Scottie Scheffler, the Masters
champion and world number one, although he insists he feels no extra pressure
despite his status.

"Being the home of golf and the Open Championship definitely amplifies things
a bit, but that's across the board," the 26-year-old said on Wednesday.

"I don't think it matters if I'm number one in the world or number 50 in the
world, I want to win this tournament as bad or more than anybody out here."

Scheffler tees off at 1:26pm (1226 GMT) in Thursday's first round in a group
with Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton.

McIlroy, meanwhile, goes out at 9:58am with Morikawa and Xander Schauffele,
the Olympic champion who won last week's Scottish Open.

The Open is expecting record attendances for the week of 290,000, meaning
galleries will be packed for the first championship since the end of
pandemic-related restrictions.

- 'Stands the test of time' -

The course is hosting the championship for the 30th time, the first since
Zach Johnson won here in 2015 after foul weather delayed the finish until the
Monday.

There seems little prospect of the weather causing such havoc this time, with
conditions expected to be largely fine, even if winds have picked up over the
last two days and rain seemed to appear from nowhere on Wednesday.

Stiff breezes may put paid to any prospect of a record low score being
posted, with the current best round at a major Branden Grace's 62 at Birkdale
in 2017.

"Even with the advancements in technology, this golf course still stands the
test of time. It's still very difficult, and it's obviously weather
dependent," said Tiger Woods, twice an Open champion at St Andrews.

The 46-year-old, who has been recovering from severe leg injuries suffered in
a car crash last year and missed the US Open, tees off at 2:59pm (1359 GMT)
alongside Fitzpatrick and Max Homa.

Scotland's Paul Lawrie, Open champion at Carnoustie in 1999, has the honour
of playing the first tee shot of the championship at 6:35am on Thursday
morning.