Merseyrail staff are set to go on strike in a move which could hamper The Open.
RMT members have voted to stage industrial action as part of their latest dispute over pay which will currently be taking place over 48 hours from midnight on July 18.
Should the walkout go ahead, it will have a knock-on effect to golf fans travelling into Merseyside for the 154th Open which culiminates at Royal Birkdale that weekend.
The tournament is being hosted at the course for an 11th time with the latest four-day event taking place across four days from Thursday, July 16.
RMT officials are continuing to seek talks with transport chiefs after two previous pay offers made in March and June of this year were already rejected by members.
Merseyrail’s HR director James Smith said: “We are very disappointed that RMT members have called industrial action over The Open Golf Championship.
“We’d made a no-strings 4% pay offer at the start of the year, which is above inflation and significantly higher than those made by many other rail operators.
“Over the last three years, Merseyrail has paid almost 4% more than other Department for Transport train operators and we continue to make some of the strongest pay offers in the industry.
“Members of both ASLEF and the TSSA have already accepted this year’s offer.
“RMT is once again threatening industrial action during The Open, one of the Liverpool City Region’s biggest events.
“The union took a similar approach during The Open in 2017 and is again attempting to use a major international event as leverage in a pay dispute.
“We had agreed to meet with the RMT again next week and are disappointed that industrial action has been called while productive talks continue.
“We remain committed to sensibly resolving this dispute.”