Record first prize on offer at The Open

THE winner of the 150th Open Championship next week will receive a record first prize of $2.5 million, tournament organisers have announced.

The total prize fund at St Andrews has also increased by 22 per cent to $14m.

In an apparent reference to the vast sums of money on offer in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series and increases in prize funds at the other Majors, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “There have been significant changes in prize money over the last year. We have therefore increased the prize fund by 22 per cent which means that the prize money has increased by more than 60 per cent since 2016.

“We have made this substantial investment while balancing our wider commitments to developing golf at all levels around the world and to continuing to elevate the AIG Women’s Open.”

In the R&A’s Celebration of Champions ahead of The Open, England’s Georgia Hall will partner Tiger Woods,

Rory McIlroy and Lee Trevino.

Defending champion Collin Morikawa will hit the first shot in the four-hole challenge played over the first, second, 17th and 18th on the Old Course on Monday, with his team made up of AIG

Women’s Open champion Anna Nordqvist, women’s amateur winner Jess Baker and Japan’s Keita Nakajima.

Hall, Woods, McIlroy and Trevino will tee off last at 5.05pm and 2018 Women’s Open winner Hall said: “It is an absolute thrill to play alongside Tiger, Rory and Lee. I think it’s fantastic that The R&A has invited champions from all levels of the sport and I’m sure that Jess and Keita will be massively excited by the prospect of teeing it up with Collin and Anna at St Andrews.”

Woods added: “This is going to be a special week of golf, and having many of the sport’s great champions and future stars play in this event is a great way to mark this historic championship.

“St Andrews has such a unique atmosphere and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans again and on a course that holds fantastic memories for me.”

Meanwhile, American

Daniel Berger has withdrawn from next week’s main event due to a back injury, with his place in the field being taken by compatriot Sahith Theegala.