The figure is the sixth highest achieved in the event's history.

"It's a pretty stunning achievement given the weather, the economic situation and the absence of Tiger Woods," said Royal and Ancient Club chief executive Peter Dawson today.

"All credit to golf fans in this part of the country. We haven't had all the television viewing figures yet, but the first day was about 20 per cent up on last year."

David Hill, the R&A's director of championships, believes the figure could well have been higher but for the wind, rain and cold of the opening day.

"We lost four to five thousand on Thursday because the weather was so awful," he said.

The new 'skateboard park' contours of the 17th green had been a hot topic of debate coming into the event, but it will be remembered for Padraig Harrington's winning eagle there rather than any calamities.

"We will pause for reflection on it now, but we have nothing to announce about it this morning," stated Dawson. "It was not the great disaster it was built up to be – and I didn't think it would be."

The Open switches to Turnberry in Scotland next July, its first visit there since Nick Price beat Jesper Parnevik in 1994.

St Andrews will host the 2010 Championship – the 150th anniversary of the first staging – then The Open comes to England for two years running for the first time in its history.

Sandwich, where Ben Curtis won in 2003, is the course for 2011 and Royal Lytham the following year just before the Olympics in London.

Golf will not be part of the Games then, but is campaigning hard for inclusion from 2016 onwards. If it does make it, discussions will take place about the scheduling of The Open.

Any speculation that Padraig Harrington might have the Claret Jug to keep if he wins it for a third time in a row next July can be ended now.

Australian Peter Thomson had a hat-trick of victories in the 1950s and did not keep it.

Meanwhile, Sergio Garcia, seventh in the world, and Open runner-up Ian Poulter would be in Europe's Ryder Cup top 10 if a simple switch to the qualifying system had been made.

Both are in need of a wild card as things stand because only five automatic selections come off a world points list and the next five off European Tour earnings.

The 10 who are in at the moment are Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Graeme McDowell, Soren Hansen, Oliver Wilson, Martin Kaymer and Justin Rose.