Tiger loss won’t hurt Hoylake

The world’s best players will notice few changes when the British Open returns to Hoylake for the first time since 2006 this summer.

And championship officials are confident the possible absence of world No 1 Tiger Woods will also mean no major difference in attendance figures from July 17-20.

Hoylake will play just 54 yards longer than when Woods won in 2006 when it stages the Open for the 12th time, the major difference seeing the par-four seventh hole increased from 453 yards to 480. The overall yardage is 7,312.