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The R&A could restructure their plans for the conclusion of The Open Championship to sidestep a potential conflict with the World Cup final. Scottie Scheffler will defend the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale this summer, with the final round scheduled for Sunday July 19 - the very same date the football tournament reaches its conclusion at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Sports fans are eagerly anticipating the prospect of a perfect day of armchair viewing - yet it could present Open organisers with a considerable headache. Scheffler began his fourth round at Royal Portrush at 2.25pm 12 months ago and was still conducting his celebratory press conference at 8pm, the same time the World Cup final is set to kick off this year.

A play-off at Birkdale, where a record 300,000 spectators are anticipated throughout the championship, could see the two events overlap and the R&A haemorrhaging a significant portion of their audience - particularly should England advance that far.

When quizzed about the possibility of moving the final round tee-times forward, chief executive Mark Darbon said: "We're obviously conscious of other events happening on that date. As we approach the championship, we'll ensure we try and avoid that clash wherever possible.

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"Of course, some things are out of our control in terms of playoffs and the like, but we will attempt to avoid a clash. I think we're all looking forward to an England-Scotland final, so let's see how that plays out."

The R&A have also confirmed the Open will return to Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2028 following a 16-year absence. Ernie Els was the last champion at the Lancashire venue in 2012, and Darbon is delighted to be bringing the tournament back after overcoming several obstacles.

He said: "Lytham is a wonderful golf course. There's been a series of changes that have taken place over the last few years there, which I think both we and the club feel have continued to elevate that golfing experience. It's not the easiest of our sites to operate. So we have to be thoughtful about how we manage everything that goes with a modern Open Championship there."