Organizers of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale are considering potential minor adjustments to Sunday's final round tee times to avoid a direct clash with the World Cup final, should England advance.
Officials at the R&A have acknowledged the possibility of a scheduling conflict on Sunday, a scenario that has become more plausible after England's victory over Norway secured their place in the semi-finals. The English team is set to play Argentina on Wednesday.
R&A sources indicated that any changes to the Open's schedule would be minimal, likely less than an hour, to prevent the conclusion of golf's oldest major from overlapping with the World Cup final, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. in the UK.
Normally, the leading groups at the Open tee off around 2:30 p.m. This provides a comfortable buffer, but a potential playoff situation could lead to some spectators leaving the Southport course before the Claret Jug is awarded.
The R&A plans to consult with broadcasting partners, including Sky Sports and NBC, regarding the feasibility of altering the schedule. However, a final decision will not be made until the outcome of England's semi-final match is known.
Earlier this year, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon stated, "We're conscious of other events happening on that date. Some things are out of our control in terms of play-offs and the like, but we will attempt to avoid a clash."