The Open 2017 Record Crowds at Royal Birkdale

The R&A has confirmed record crowds at Royal Birkdale for The 146th Open this week

The Open 2017 Record Crowds at Royal Birkdale

Organiser of The Open, the R&A, reports that record crowds at Royal Birkdale this week have reached 235,000, which is the highest figure ever for an Open held outside of St Andrews.

This week’s mark is the third highest ever, falling shy of the St Andrews Opens of 2000 (239,000) and 2015 (237,000).

The 2017 Open has set a new best for Opens held in England, with the previous mark set in 2006, when the championship returned to Royal Liverpool to end a hiatus of 39 years.

That year’s attendance, when Tiger Woods marched to his third Open title, was 230,000.

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The R&A, Royal Birkdale GC and local stakeholders will also be delighted that this year’s attendance marks an increase of 17 per cent from 2008, the last time The Open was held at Birkdale.

It should be factored in that while the weather has been changeable this week at Birkdale, back in 2008 it was genuinely brutal at times and would have persuaded some spectators to watch the golf on TV.

The R&A also reports that the 2017 Open received record advance ticket sales, including over 15,000 juniors under the age of 16 who have got in free of charge.

The UK golf industry as a whole will be buoyed by the figure of 30,000 fans under the age of 25 attending this year’s event.

“One of the main reasons why The Open is so highly regarded as a world class sporting event is the hundreds of thousands of spectators who generate a very special atmosphere for the players and millions of viewers watching around the world,” says Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A.

“A record-breaking crowd has enjoyed a week of thrilling golf and we thank every single person who has visited Royal Birkdale over the last eight days for making this a very special Championship.”

Next year, on to the mighty Carnoustie.

Story courtesy of Mercedes-Benz – an Official Patron and the Official Car of The Open.