Royal Birkdale set a new attendance record for The Open last weekend.
The Merseyside venue hosted the three-day tournament with Jordan Spieth claiming the Claret Jug with a dramatic three-shot lead over Matt Kuchar.
Since Birkdale last hosted The Open in 2008, when Padraig Harrington was victorious, the course saw a 17 per cent increase in visitor numbers.
Around 235,000 people attended the 2017 edition of the Open, making the 2017 edition the highest-ever in England and just 4,000 shy of the all-British record.
A statement from the R&A read: “This year’s attendance surpassed the 230,000 mark set at Royal Liverpool in 2006, making it the largest ever Championship held in England and reflects a 17 per cent increase since The Open last visited Royal Birkdale in 2008.
“Record advance ticket sales made it the fastest-selling Championship in history and included more than 15,000 Youth Tickets.
“Overall 30,000 golf fans under the age of 25 attended The Open, 13 per cent of the total crowd, and included over 15,000 juniors aged 16 and under who attended free-of-charge as part of the Kids Go Free initiative.
“Huge demand for The Open’s official hospitality offering led to all six packages selling out, including the Claret Jug Pavilion, Champions Club and Greenside Club.”
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers added: “One of the main reasons why The Open is so highly regarded as a world class sporting event is the hundreds of thousands of spectators who generate a very special atmosphere for the players and millions of viewers watching around the world.
“A record-breaking crowd has enjoyed a week of thrilling golf and we thank every single person who has visited Royal Birkdale over the last eight days for making this a very special Championship.”