Players and spectators have started to arrive in St Andrews as The Open gets underway for the next week.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to descend on the Fife town, prompting hopes of a future tourism boost for the Kingdom.
A host of celebrities have already arrived in Fife, including professional golfers Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Adam Scott.
Woods’ private jet was spotted after he arrived in Scotland on Saturday evening.
With 290,000 spectators and millions around the world expected to watch the tournament on TV, Provost Jim Leishman is hopeful The Open will have a long-lasting impact on Fife.
In particular he says he hopes people who see St Andrews in the spotlight will think about coming to Fife for a holiday in the future.
He told The Courier: “It’s all about what it does for the Fife economy as an internationally famous championship.
“The secret is getting them to come back. They are coming just now to see the greatest players in the world, hopefully they enjoy it and think ‘wow this is an amazing place’.
“You’ve got so many good golf courses in Fife. In St Andrews but also the East Neuk of Fife and the ancient capital Dunfermline.
“It’s a tremendous place. Hopefully they come back for a holiday.”
Despite hopes for success as the world’s eyes fall on Fife, there have been concerns around travel chaos after the majority of rail services were cancelled.
It means an increased number of people are likely to travel by car, putting pressure on park and ride services.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, executive director of championships at the R&A, said the 150th Open would be a celebration of the championship, which started in St Andrews.
Speaking as the event starter, he said: “The Open is providing a significant economic impact to the region and Scotland as a whole, which is estimated to be around £200 million thanks to tens of thousands of visitors expected this week and millions of TV viewers worldwide watching the championship.
“We are all looking forward to seeing who is crowned Champion Golfer of the Year next Sunday.”
The Open at St Andrews: First look at tented village set to become home to thousands of fans
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