2023 British Open weather forecast: Consistent winds, weekend rains expected at Royal Liverpool
A rainy, chilly Open Championship looks to be in store this week at Royal Liverpool
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2 min read
No other major championship is defined by the weather conditions more than the Open. Whether it is firm and fast or wet and rainy, the conditions at the Open often have a large say in identifying the Champion Golfer of the Year, and the 151st Open Championship will be no different. While there does not appear to be a tee-time advantage across the first two rounds (yet), chilly temperatures and spells of rain are likely to engulf Royal Liverpool.
"Unfortunately for fans looking for super firm links golf, you are probably not going to see it this week," Michael Kim posted. "It has rained all day today [Tuesday] and we're supposed to get some sunshine Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to really make it firm and we're getting more rain all day Saturday. Friday afternoon will be peak firmness but not sure how much it'll change by then. It doesn't seem like there will be a huge difference between the waves for this Open."
Two Opens have been held at Royal Liverpool since the turn of the century with Tiger Woods winning in 2006 and Rory McIlroy hoisting the Claret Jug in 2014. Despite crowning worthy champions, those two editions of the championship could not have played more different as Woods famously hit just one driver the week at a yellow, baked-out Hoylake. McIlroy took a much more orthodox approach, hitting an array of clubs during a week that is much more likely to mirror the next four days.
Royal Liverpool forecast (Hoylake, England)
| Day | Temp | AM Winds (Gusts) | AM Rain | PM Winds (Gusts) | PM Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday | 64 / 54 | 13 mph (23 mph) | 40% | 14 mph (24 mph) | 40% |
Friday | 63 / 57 | 14 mph (25 mph) | 58% | 13 mph (27 mph) | 25% |
Saturday | 64 / 59 | 13 mph (29 mph) | 65% | 12 mph (28 mph) | 65% |
Sunday | 65 / 54 | 9 mph (21 mph) | 72% | 9 mph (20 mph) | 72% |
If Kim's professional golf career does not work out, he may have a future as a meteorologist because he hit the nail on the head. The first two rounds may allow for drier conditions if the showers skirt past Hoylake Friday morning, but that will change as the weekend brings showers along with it.
What has not been touched on is the wind and the direction from which it will blow. While it looks to be consistently around 10 mph with gusts of nearly 30 mph, it will switch directions on Moving Day. The other three days will see wind come from west-northwest direction while Saturday will come from south-southeast.
Saturday may also be the heaviest of the rains with the most intense storms appearing midday. Thunderstorms may materialize from these clouds before subsiding to partly cloudy conditions and the chance of a couple showers on Sunday.
