Royal Liverpool welcomes the best golfers in the world in July as they compete in the 143rd Open Championship and you can watch all the action exclusively live with BBC Sport.
The most coveted trophy in the game of golf, the famous Claret Jug is one of the most iconic in all of sport and all the big names, including previous Hoylake Open winner Tiger Woods, will be vying to lift the prestigious trophy on the 18th green late on Sunday afternoon.
This time 12 months ago, Phil Mickelson lifted his first Claret Jug after coming from behind to clinch a spectacular victory at Muirfield, having arrived at the course fresh from his play-off victory over Branden Grace at the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart the week before.
Five weeks prior to the Open, the American finished runner-up at the U.S. Open for the sixth time, but he was in no mood to settle for second best in Scotland last year, as he dismantled the rest of the field ahead of him to take a clubhouse lead that he would never relinquish.
Not since Royal Liverpool last hosted the tournament in 2006 had competitors faced such hot and dry conditions at an Open Championship, and Muirfield’s sun-baked fairways and greens added to the already challenging test posed by the famous Scottish course.
Hoylake will no doubt present a different challenge in 2014 to the world’s best players as the tournament returns to the Merseyside links.
Royal Liverpool, or Hoylake as it is usually known, is the second-oldest seaside links golf course in England and was the first course in North West England to host the Open.
The tournament last visited Hoylake eight years ago, the year when Tiger Woods was at his imperious best en route to taking his second Claret Jug in a row, with the American having won in 2005 at St Andrews, and his third overall.
For the majority of the players, it was their first experience of the Hoylake links and day after day of intense heat had baked the course, producing fast-running fairways.
In preparation for the 2014 staging of the Open, Royal Liverpool has undergone a number of changes to strengthen the challenge for the world’s leading players.
The par-72 course will measure 7,312 yards, 54 yards longer than in 2006, and a number of bunkers have been removed, leaving 82 in total across the course.
Five holes have new swales around the greens to punish errant shots with more varied hazards, while broken ground has been created in the rough on a number of holes to create tougher escape shots.
Just as at the 2006 Open, this year’s tournament will start on the member’s 17th hole – ‘Royal’ – and finish on the 16th hole – ‘Dun.’
Starting among the favourites for victory this year will be the recent US Open winner Martin Kaymer, who stormed to victory at Pinehurst last month to secure his second Major title, following his first at the US PGA in 2010.
The British contingent of Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy will all be given fervent support from their home crowd as they aim to become the first home winner since Darren Clarke won at Royal St Georges three years ago.
The Open’s return to Hoylake eight years ago marked the first Open to be played at the historic Royal Liverpool course after a gap of 39 years, and the 2014 edition will be the 12th time the course has hosted golf’s oldest Major.
More than 230,000 spectators attended the 2006 tournament, one of the most successful Opens ever staged in England, and huge crowds are again expected to enjoy four fabulous days of golf at the famous Hoylake course this weekend.
Follow all the tension and drama of the 143rd Open Championship live from Hoylake across BBC TV, radio and online from July 17-20. Full viewing guide below.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE PLAYERS TEE TIMES
LIVE LEADERBOARD COURSE GUIDE
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BBC Sport will be the only place to follow all the action from the 143rd Open Championship live from Royal Liverpool.
With exclusive coverage from four days of play, the BBC will deliver over 40 hours of live TV coverage on BBC One and BBC Two, 48 hours of radio on BBC Radio 5 Live, exclusive behind-the-scenes social media from BBC Sport and up to four BBC Red Button streams.
Hazel Irvine presents all the action on BBC Television across all four days of the tournament, while the commentary team will be led once again by veteran Peter Alliss, Ken Brown, Andrew Cotter, Mark James and Frank Nobilo, with on-course reports and updates will come from Philip Parkin, Maureen Madill and former Wentworth PGA champion Scott Drummond.
Interviews with the players and behind-the-scenes features will be provided by the roving reporting team of Dan Walker, Russell Fuller and Rishi Persad, who will also be out and about around the links course and practice range with the latest news and special features.
BBC Sport’s TV coverage begins on Wednesday, July 16 on BBC Two with a half-hour preview programme at 11.20pm, presented by Hazel Irvine, which will set the scene ahead of the third Major tournament of the year.
There will be interviews with the big names hoping to get their hands on the Claret Jug, as well as a chance to relive some of the best moments from previous championships, plus the challenges of the Royal Liverpool course will also be examined.
Then the live action gets underway the following morning as BBC Two goes on-air at 9.00am for the opening two days of the tournament, featuring 11 hours of continuous live coverage.
For those who have missed any of the key moments during the day, a selection of the day’s highlights will air during the final hour of BBC Two’s live coverage from approximately 7.00pm, plus there will be regular updates from the day during natural breaks in play.
BBC One takes over the majority of the live action over the weekend, starting at 10.00am on Saturday and 11.30am on Sunday, with a 10-minute break for the news around lunchtime on both days.
Live television coverage will also be available to watch in high-definition on BBC One HD and BBC Two HD across all four days.
In addition to extensive TV coverage, the BBC will also have complete coverage through its vast array of digital platforms.
Graphical leaderboards and live statistics will made available via the BBC Sport website on PCs, mobiles and tablets, as well as via the BBC Sport mobile app and connected TVs, plus through your TV set via BBC Red Button on all platforms.
A three-hole feed focussing on holes 13, 14 and 15 will also be available to view on all digital platforms and via BBC Red Button, as will nightly highlights of each day’s play.
Online via bbc.co.uk/sport, live streaming of BBC TV’s coverage can also be found, as well as live text commentary, latest news, interviews, video and analysis from BBC reporters at the course, including a column from golf correspondent Iain Carter, as well as an exclusive column from former US Open champion Graeme McDowell.
The Open will also benefit from the BBC’s full live experience that combines TV, radio and online coverage plus social media, commentary and interactivity in one place. Used previously at the Sochi Winter Olympics, Glastonbury, Wimbledon and FIFA World Cup the live experience can be accessed at bbc.co.uk/sport or via the BBC Sport apps.
BBC Radio 5 live will also have full live commentary across all four days of the Open Championship, presented by John Inverdale and Clare Balding.
New to the BBC Radio 5 live team for 2014 are European Tour golfer Nick Dougherty, multi major winner Dame Laura Davies and legendary coach David Leadbetter.
They will work alongside 5 live’s regular experts including three-time Ryder Cup Captain Bernard Gallacher and former European Tour golfers Jay Townsend and Andrew Murray.
In a first for a UK sports event, the BBC and The R&A have in a unique partnership joined together to give spectators on the links access to live action and commentary over a dedicated free Wi-Fi network.
Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport, comments: “The BBC is always striving to offer audiences the best coverage of major sporting events, and this year’s Open sees an exciting extended offer.
“The BBC’s digital platforms are now a staple part of the audience’s sporting experience, and once again combine here with TV and radio to bring every moment of this prestigious event to fans wherever they are, via whatever platform they choose.
“We’re also pleased to be able to offer additional coverage to those attending the event, to enhance the on course experience working in partnership with the R&A.”
Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “The introduction of BBC coverage on the course via The Open Wi-Fi Network means sports fans attending The Open are now able to follow events at the championship like never before. This innovation is a first in golf that will greatly improve the experience for our spectators.”
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Wednesday 16th July
The Open: Preview
11.20pm-11.50pm BBC Two
The Open 2006 Official Film
11.50pm-12.45am BBC Two
Thursday 17th July
ROUND 1
LIVE: 9.00am-8.00pm BBC Two
Friday 18th July
ROUND 2
LIVE: 9.00am-8.00pm BBC Two
Saturday 19th July
ROUND 3
LIVE: 10.00am-12.00pm & 12.10pm-5.25pm BBC One
LIVE: 5.25pm-7.45pm BBC Two
Sunday 20th July
ROUND 4
LIVE: 10.30am-11.30am BBC Two
LIVE: 11.30am-12.00pm & 12.10pm-7.00pm BBC One
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