Just Stop Oil protestors strike at The Open as they interrupt play at Hoylake during second-round outings on Friday

The Open Championship became the latest high-profile sporting event to be targeted by Just Stop Oil protestors after eco-zealots interrupted play on Friday.

Just Stop Oil activists had already launched protests at the World Snooker Championship, Wimbledon and the Ashes this summer, with England cricket star Johnny Bairstow even forced to remove one individual from the field himself at Lord’s.

And now protestors have struck again at The Open, which got underway at Royal Liverpool 24 hours beforehand on Thursday.

US Masters champion Jon Rahm issued a firm warning to Just Stop Oil protestors ahead of the championship earlier this week.

With organisers at Hoylake on alert over potential disruptions, and even asking players not to get involved themselves, Rahm suggested he would be prepared to take similar action to Bairstow in throwing a protestor off the course himself.

Just Stop Oil disrupted proceedings during play at The Open Championships with an orange flare on Friday afternoon

Security at the event swiftly dealt with the environmental activists in-front of a crowd 

‘I do have a reputation, so I hope they don’t catch me on a bad hole,’ he said.

‘I know they’re going for an impact. I saw a couple of them intervening in Wimbledon, and obviously this looks like it could be a perfect spot. But we have nothing to do with it.

‘You don’t want to disrupt play, which they’re trying, so if it happens where I’m at, I’m obviously going to try to clean up as quickly as possible so we can resume play.’

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers previously insisted there had been no intelligence surrounding any potential protests at The Open, but he remained confident in the ‘significant’ security procedures which were put in place.

Slumbers said the event had been targeted at St Andrews last year – there were rumours of a potential Just Stop Oil intervention – but nothing public materialised after security was increased at specific locations.

‘We have had no direct intelligence,’ Slumbers said on the likelihood of protests at Royal Liverpool.

‘There was direct intelligence last year and most people in this room don’t know The Open was targeted last year.

‘We had a very credible threat which was reported to us that certain players in the field were going to be targeted by environmental activists.

‘We have significant security procedures in place, we work with law enforcement agencies and we will wait and see what happens.

‘We have advised the players please don’t get involved and I stand by that.

‘Beyond that I think security matters I need to keep confidential.’