The Open Golf Championship 2023: Beginner's guide

The Open is one of the four major golf tournaments in the sport, and it is about to get underway in Liverpool, in the UK.

The event takes place over four days in summer, Thursday through to Sunday, at different course each year.

This year, it runs from Thursday 20 July until Sunday 23, at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, in the north west of England.

This year's Open is the 151st in its history.

Australian Cameron Smith is the reigning champion, winning last year's tournament at St Andrews, Scotland.

The prize for this year's winner is one of sport's most famous trophies - a silver Claret Jug - and a share of the £12,000,000 prize pot.

A total of 156 players from all over the world are teeing off on the 18-hole course at Royal Liverpool.

The idea is to go around the course with the lowest number of shots, across the four rounds.

All eyes will be on Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy as he returns to the course where he won the title in 2014.

He says he has had the "perfect preparation" in the days leading up to the event, winning the Scottish Open on Sunday.

Other names to watch out for will be American world number one Scottie Scheffler, Masters champion Jon Rahm and US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick.

Not only will the players have to battle each other for glory, but the weather will play a huge part in the outcomes.

The Open Championship is played at classic links golf courses, which means they have deep sand bunkers, no trees, large and undulating greens - lots of little hills - making it harder to play.

The forecast ahead of the tournament suggests there could be high winds, rain showers and some possible thunderstorms.