SOUTHPORT, England (AP) 鈥� More than 300,000 fans will attend the at Royal Birkdale this week, making it a record crowd for golf鈥檚 oldest major championship.
They鈥檒l need to bring sun cream and some manners.
For the first time, the R&A has felt it necessary to publish a fan code of conduct, at a time when some of golf鈥檚 biggest events have been marred by unsavory and even abusive behavior by spectators.
Titled 鈥淭he Open Commitment,鈥� the code boils down to these five basic requirements of fans: respect the players, respect the links, respect each other, be aware, enjoy responsibly.
Essentially, just be a nice person. If not, the R&A says it can punish 鈥渟erious or repeated breaches鈥� by removing the guilty parties from the property 鈥渨ithout refund.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 all for an atmosphere,鈥� said Matt Fitzpatrick, one of the 21 English players in the field who are most likely to be cheered rather than heckled. 鈥淥bviously I don鈥檛 want it to cross a line.鈥�
That鈥檚 what happened at last year鈥檚 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, when Team Europe鈥檚 players 鈥� especially Rory McIlroy 鈥� endured a and shouting on their back swings and putts. McIlroy deemed the abuse from the New York crowd 鈥渦nacceptable.鈥�
didn鈥檛 get much love at last month鈥檚 U.S. Open, with spectators cheering his mistakes 鈥� conduct that Scottie Scheffler said was 鈥渁 bit much to me.鈥�
Even the most recent British Open held on English soil 鈥� just down the road at Hoylake 鈥� didn鈥檛 escape some crowd misbehavior as American player Brian Harman defied some jeers and insults on his way to lifting the claret jug.
Clark doesn鈥檛 appear too concerned about any repeat incidents at Birkdale this week, describing British golf fans as 鈥渢he best.鈥�
鈥淭hey respect the game, they respect the players and they really understand golf,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you hit it into a tough spot and make the correct play or the smart play, the prudent play, they clap; they understand sometimes 20 feet is a great shot.鈥�
R&A chief executive Mark Darbon said marshals, volunteers and officials have been well-briefed on what constitutes poor fan conduct.
鈥淲e feel that it鈥檚 within our gift, if someone does step over the line, to ask them to leave the venue,鈥� Darbon said, 鈥渁nd I think that鈥檚 a pretty powerful display. That鈥檚 the mechanism that we鈥檒l use rather than fining a spectator.鈥�
The World Cup effect
Tee times for the final round at Royal Birkdale are open to change.
And it’s all because of a soccer match.
The final being staged in the United States on Sunday is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. in England 鈥� just 80 minutes after organizers estimate the final putt will drop in the Open Championship, unless there’s a playoff.
The big issue is that England could be in it. Its team was playing Argentina in the semifinals on Wednesday night and the R&A is waiting on the result.
Mark Darbon, the R&A’s chief executive, says it would be a 鈥済reat problem to have鈥� because he’s an England fan and that his organization has been thinking a lot about the schedule.
鈥淲e think that, even if we go to a three-hole playoff, we鈥檝e got time to complete the championship,鈥� Darbon said. 鈥淪o at this stage, no plans to alter anything, but we鈥檒l maintain that under review and finalize our position after the semifinal.鈥�
R&A chief says links courses not required to change to keep the Open
Royal Birkdale went through a number of changes, such as eliminating the par-3 14th hole and building a new par-3 15th. Darbon said 鈥渋t would be wrong鈥� to suggest changes are driven by spectator movement.
鈥淭he changes to the golf course have been driven by the members,鈥� he said. 鈥淕iven the strength of partnership that we have with our host venues, of course we鈥檙e part of some of those discussions, and where there are things that we can do together that also help us operationally, they often make sense to do to help with the staging of the championship.鈥�
It鈥檚 hard to imagine Royal Birkdale members wanting a new hole, leading Darbon to be asked if the members鈥� decision was based on concerns the Open might not return.
鈥淎t no stage would we threaten a non-return to a venue on that basis,鈥� he said.
Darbon also pushed back on the idea the British Open is moving toward bigness, particularly attendance. Martin Slumbers, his predecessor, had said before retiring, 鈥淏ig-time sport needs big-time crowds.鈥�
鈥淚f we鈥檙e able to facilitate spectator volumes onsite, we鈥檒l always consider that, but it鈥檚 not the primary driver for us,鈥� Darbon said.
He cited a return to Royal Lytham & St. Annes, which has a smaller footprint than Royal Birkdale.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not taking venues off the rotation because they鈥檙e smaller than others,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 a balance to be struck, too, and we think we鈥檙e getting that right.鈥�
As for Muirfield, which last hosted the Open in 2013, Darbon said the course requires some tweaks but the R&A looks forward to returning.
Rai gets a letter from the Golden Bear
Aaron Rai might not have been aware of all the things that come with winning a major as the was his first one. He knew about the Wanamaker Trophy (maybe not how heavy it is) and the five-year exemption to the majors.
The surprise was in the mail.
Jack Nicklaus for years has been writing a note of congratulations to major champions.
鈥淎fter the PGA I received a handwritten letter from Jack Nicklaus, which was kind of surreal when we opened the mail,鈥� Rai said. 鈥淔or someone like that to take the time to write to me after the PGA, it definitely shows the class of what Jack is about.鈥�
Adam Scott get an inaugural award in his 25th Open appearance
The Royal & Ancient has come with a new honor, announcing Adam Scott as the first recipient of the 鈥淪pirit of Golf Award鈥� for his contributions to golf around the world.
The award is to recognize an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the game on a global scale and displays the values, behaviors and traditions inherent to golf.
Scott is playing his 101th consecutive major at the British Open, the second-longest streak in golf behind Jack Nicklaus. Scott turns 46 on Thursday, the first round of the Open.
鈥淎s someone who has spent my entire life in the game of golf it is so meaningful to be recognized for my impact on golf across the world, not only from a playing point of view but for also upholding values which are so integral to the sport,鈥� Scott said.
The R&A said the award would be annual, though it could also be given to a team or organization, and is not restricted to professionals.
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