The R&A has opened the ballot for tickets for the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool, with the window remaining open until after the conclusion of this year’s Championship at St Andrews.
The ballot opened on Tuesday and follows the outline set by The 150th Open ticketing process, to try and ensure as many fans as possible have a chance to attend. The ballot will be open for one month until July 20, with the results to be announced by the end of September.
It is only open to members of The One Club, which is a free-to-join membership programme.
The 150th Open is due to take place at St Andrews next month, and received over 1.3 million applications for tickets. This led to the highest-ever number of general admission tickets being issued, with 290,000 golf fans set to attend.
The Open returns to Royal Liverpool from July 16-23 next year and is the 13th time the event has been held on the Wirral Links. It will also be the first time the event has been held there since 2014, where Rory McIlroy (pictured) was victorious.
Ticket prices for the 151st Open will start from £95 ($116/€110) for an adult on Championship days, and from £25 on practice days. Free tickets will also be available through the ballot for children as part of the ‘Kids go Free’ initiative, and half-price tickets are available for those aged 16-24, to try and entice the younger generation.
Some 20% of the general admission tickets for the 150th Open were allocated to people under the age of 25 and 20,000 kids will gain free entry to the event.
Origins Hospitality for the 151st Open is also on general sale.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “We introduced a ticket ballot for the first time in the history of The Open for St Andrews to give as many people as possible the chance to attend the Championship. We know the demand is growing and that the ballot is the fairest and most equitable way to give fans around the world the chance to secure tickets.
“We greatly appreciate the enthusiasm that fans have for The Open and look forward to welcoming as many of them as we can to Royal Liverpool next year.”
Image: Courtesy of The R&A