The Open Championship: It’s expected to be a thriller, both on and off the course

Some prefer to call it just The Open, mainly those in the European camp; Others from across the Atlantic prefer to set their sails for the British Open.

The annual musing over nouns is set to be relegated though, by the noise from the reconfiguration of power in the sport. The PGA TOUR chairman Ed Herlihy, board member Jimmy Dunne, and commissioner Jay Monahan plunged the sport into the laundry machine to dress up for a date with the men they called murderous villains.

Expect the golfers to walk a tightrope, navigating the turbulent winds at seaswept Hoylake just as much as they might make curious inquiries about the muddled weather in the world of golf.

The famed Claret Jug will not be the only object of attention this week. Even before the 156 golfers set foot on the Hoylake course, a renewed setup, tricky bunkers, and a penal rough promise to present a stern test of skill and temperament.

Rory McIlroy won his third of four majors when The Open was last played at Royal Liverpool in 2014. If he manages to rekindle some of those fond memories from the height of his career, McIlroy will draw the loudest cheers.Cameron Smith, the defending champion, is flying hot too. He will hope to build on his success in London and emulate Padraig Harrington, the last man to defend an Open title.Bettors have installed McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka among the top favourites alongside Smith. Rahm won the Masters, while Koepka regained lost ground with a dogged victory in the PGA Championship. Wyndham Clark sprang a surprise, showing steely determination to clinch his maiden major in the US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club. There will be others like Clark, hoping to make the Open their claim to golfing lore.

The 7,312 yards course at Hoylake will feature a brand new 140yard par 3. The Little Eye features a tricky tee shot into the coastal breeze, towards an intimidating infinity green protected by bunkers on each side.

Hoylake alters its layout for The Open, starting the round at the conventional 17th hole. Hence the first becomes the third hole. The Little Eye at the 15th will become the penultimate hole, potentially decisive on Sunday when the tournament reaches an edgy climax.

But the action is far from confined to golf courses. As Dunne and the TOUR COO Ron Price prepared to testify to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on 11 July, the embattled Monahan announced his return to work on 17 July after an extended absence for a personal health situation.

Since the shocking announcement of a framework agreement in June, the authoritarian folk at the helm of the PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour have tied themselves in knots trying to explain their gymnastics with values and words. The simple fact is that they have taken golf to bed with the Saudis, lured by some PIF nickels and the shrewd mind of Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan.

The leadership of the TOUR has been far from transparent, much like the vague framework arrangement with PIF. A lack of sponsor money and an increasing legal bill made it untenable for the PGA TOUR to continue drawing from its depleting reserves. After lecturing the players about sports washing and burdening them with guilt, they chose to pocket the money that was denied to their members.

Hideki Matsuyama will take some time recovering from the shock of refusing a reported $400mn contract with LIV. The Japanese and his colleagues will carry these festering wounds to Hoylake. The media interactions leading to The Open could become popcorn-worthy if some choose to air their views about the situation. Save some popcorn, though, for the action when it starts on Thursday.

Hoylake is renowned for testing golfers, demanding thorough precision, especially with the second shot. The wind off the Irish Sea is an essential protection for the course, but the greens also feature steep bunkers that can undo the best of them. An example is the sixth, a 202-yard par 3, guarded by three zealous traps hungry to devour erratic tee shots and dent the card.

At this tumultuous intersection of mind, method, money, and morals, The Open suddenly offers more than just driving, chipping, and putting.

The oldest major is steeped in history, an annual feast for the gods. And the 151st edition will produce memes, memories, and some magical golf, adding another dense layer to cherish in the rich archives of modern golf