JUST Stop Oil protestors have interrupted play at The Open Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Course today. 

Protestors ran onto the 17th hole at the Royal Liverpool this afternoon setting off a smoke flare and throwing orange powder and paint onto the green. 

American golfer Billy Horschel intervened to help remove protesters.

The 36-year-old escorted a woman wearing a Just Stop Oil T-shirt covered in orange paint off the green of the Hoylake links and into the custody of a police officer.

Both her and a man wearing a similar T-shirt were both handcuffed and marched off the course by several police officers.

PA Media said greenkeeping staff were dispatched to the hole and removed the powdered paint with leaf-blowers.

Just Stop Oil confirmed three people in total were involved in the protest at The Open.

In a statement issued to PA Media, Just Stop Oil said: "At around 12.20pm three Just Stop Oil supporters ran onto hole 17 at The Open in Royal Liverpool.

“They set off a smoke flare and threw orange powder paint on the green before being removed by security.”

The environmental group have targeted a number of high-profile sporting events this summer, including the second Ashes Test at Lord's where England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow physically carried one pitch invader off the ground. 

They have also interrupted proceedings at Wimbledon, where three people ran onto the court throwing orange paper and jigsaw pieces.

PA Media said Open organisers were prepared for a protest and stressed they had put in extra security precautions.

They did advise players not to engage with anyone who entered the course but Horschel decided against that.