The official figures from The R&A show that, despite poor weather, spectator attendance at St Andrews for The 144th Open Championship held up remarkably well.
Of course overall comparisons with previous Open Championships are difficult because of the extra day’s play but where a like-for-like comparison is possible – on the Practice Days – the attendance of 41,377 in 2015 compares favourably with 38,000 in 2010 and is only marginally down on last year’s figure of 42,805 at Hoylake.
A similar picture emerges for the first (and only) ‘normal’ day with 34,860 coming through the gates on Thursday 16th July compared with 34,000 in 2010 and 35,382 at Hoylake.
One has to feel for the 40, 526 people who were present on Saturday 18th July and saw very little golf but the experience clearly did not deter because Sunday was the best attended day of The Championship, with 45,076 spectators around the course, better than any single day at both St Andrews in 2010 and Hoylake in 2014.
Attendance on the final (5th) day, when spectators who did not have a ‘season ticket’ were allowed in for just £10, was 35,370.
The final total for the week is 237,024 compared with 201,000 in 2010 and 202,917 at Hoylake.
The Open Championship http://www.theopen.com/
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