The R&A are on the brink of announcing whether they'll tweak the final round timings at Royal Birkdale – and it's all down to England's World Cup semi-final prospects. The potential scheduling shake-up is a masterstroke in flexibility, designed to prevent a direct clash between the Open Championship finale and Sunday's FIFA showpiece in New Jersey. But let's be clear: the priority is on giving Gareth Southgate's men every chance of making history – and avoiding any overlap that could split England's fanbase.
England's semi-final against Argentina kicks off at 20:00 BST, live on the BBC, with a potential World Cup final appearance waiting in the wings. The Open Championship's final day play is currently set to wrap up around 18:40 BST – just 90 minutes before the World Cup final gets underway.
R&A Chief Executive Mark Darbon knows all about the scheduling conundrum, admitting it would be a "great problem to have" as an England football fan. While acknowledging that a three-hole play-off is still feasible without overlap, he's also acknowledged the possibility of a sudden-death showdown could create a direct conflict for fans and broadcasters.
No plans are in place to screen the World Cup final on big screens around the Southport links – but would it be too much to ask? The R&A are weighing up their options carefully, aware that adjusting a major golf championship schedule is no small feat. The 2019 Masters provides a recent precedent, where Tiger Woods secured his fifth Green Jacket after an early start was brought forward due to thunderstorms.
Darbon insists any changes would be "subtle" and not drastic – but the prospect of the Open Championship's schedule being tweaked for another sporting event has the golfing world abuzz. The 154th Open Championship takes place from 16-19 July at Royal Birkdale, with Zach Johnson's play-off win in 2015 serving as a poignant reminder that drama can unfold on the links too.