The Open 2023: Just Stop Oil protesters interrupt play at Royal Liverpool Golf Course

The Open has become the latest sporting event to be the target of a Just Stop Oil protest. Protesters took to the 17th hole at Royal Liverpool Golf Course which came shortly after the activists took action at Wimbledon Championships and on the first day of the second Ashes Test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

During the latter interruption, England cricket star Johnny Bairstow even removed one of the individuals from the field himself and Spanish golfer Jon Rahm has said he wouldn’t be opposed to taking similar action.

The US Masters champion issued a firm warning earlier this week saying: “I do have a reputation, so I hope they don’t catch me on a bad hole. I know they’re going for an impact. I saw them intervening in Wimbledon, and obviously this looks like it could be a perfect spot. But we have nothing to do with it.

“You don’t want to disrupt play, which they’re trying, so if it happens where I’m at, I’m obviously going to try to clean up as quickly as possible so we can resume play.”

The R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers previously insisted there had been no intelligence pertaining to any potential protests but remained confident in the ‘significant’ security procedures which are in place.

Slumbers also admitted that The Open had been targeted last year at St Andrews but nothing happened after security was increased at certain locations around the course. He said: “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 which was reported to us that certain players in the field were going to be targeted by environmental activists. 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. Beyond that I think security matters I need to keep confidential.”