By . Phil Casey, Press Association . The 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool attracted 26,059 fewer spectators than when the tournament was played on the Wirral links in 2006. A total of 202,917 fans watched Rory McIlroy's triumph during the week, down on record figures of 228,976 when Tiger Woods won eight years earlier. Numbers were down on practice days and each day of competition, although perhaps surprisingly the biggest single drop occurred on Friday, with 43,183 spectators at Hoylake, down 7,343 from 2006. VIDEO Scroll down for The Open Championship: Final Round . Watching on: The crowd at Royal Liverpool was down by over 26,000 from the last time it hosted the Open . Get him out: One spectator was removed from the course after heckling Rory McIlroy . 2006                2014Practice Days:  51,681            42,805Thursday:         38,500             35,382Friday:              50,526             43,183Saturday:          44,112             39,398Sunday:            44,157             42,149Total:                228,976           202,917 . Despite Saturday's weather forecast of a 'significant risk' of thunderstorms prompting the R&A to switch to a two-tee start for the first time in championship history, 39,398 fans made the journey to the course, just 4,714 fewer than in 2006. It is not clear whether Sunday's figure of 42,149, down 2,008 on eight years ago, included the spectator who was ejected on the 16th hole after heckling McIlroy during the final round. 'He was giving me grief all day, actually,' McIlroy said. 'I sort of put up with it for the first 15 holes and then he deliberately coughed on my downswing on the 16th tee. 'I still hit a great drive but I heard it halfway down and I knew who it was. So I turned around and got him chucked out, thankfully.' Champion: The Northern Irishman holds aloft the claret jug to the fans who did make it to Hoylake . Celebration: The numbers were still a long way up on last year's Open, and they enjoyed McIlroy's win . VIDEO The Open Championship: Final Round . The figures are still a major improvement on last year, when 'just' 142,036 spectators were at Muirfield to see Phil Mickelson's victory. The R&A said a heatwave could have contributed to the low attendance, although ticket prices of £75 were also blamed.
26,000 fewer people saw Rory McIlroy win than Tiger Woods in 2006 .
Hoylake hosted both events .
Numbers are still up on last year at Muirfield .
By . Phil Casey, Press Association . The 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool attracted 26,059 fewer spectators than when the tournament was played on the Wirral links in 2006. A total of 202,917 fans watched Rory McIlroy's triumph during the week, down on record figures of 228,976 when Tiger Woods won eight years earlier. Numbers were down on practice days and each day of competition, although perhaps surprisingly the biggest single drop occurred on Friday, with 43,183 spectators at Hoylake, down 7,343 from 2006. VIDEO Scroll down for The Open Championship: Final Round . Watching on: The crowd at Royal Liverpool was down by over 26,000 from the last time it hosted the Open . Get him out: One spectator was removed from the course after heckling Rory McIlroy . 2006 2014Practice Days:  51,681 42,805Thursday:         38,500 35,382Friday:              50,526 43,183Saturday:          44,112 39,398Sunday:            44,157 42,149Total:                228,976 202,917 . Despite Saturday's weather forecast of a 'significant risk' of thunderstorms prompting the R&A to switch to a two-tee start for the first time in championship history, 39,398 fans made the journey to the course, just 4,714 fewer than in 2006. It is not clear whether Sunday's figure of 42,149, down 2,008 on eight years ago, included the spectator who was ejected on the 16th hole after heckling McIlroy during the final round. 'He was giving me grief all day, actually,' McIlroy said. 'I sort of put up with it for the first 15 holes and then he deliberately coughed on my downswing on the 16th tee. 'I still hit a great drive but I heard it halfway down and I knew who it was. So I turned around and got him chucked out, thankfully.' Champion: The Northern Irishman holds aloft the claret jug to the fans who did make it to Hoylake . Celebration: The numbers were still a long way up on last year's Open, and they enjoyed McIlroy's win . VIDEO The Open Championship: Final Round . The figures are still a major improvement on last year, when 'just' 142,036 spectators were at Muirfield to see Phil Mickelson's victory. The R&A said a heatwave could have contributed to the low attendance, although ticket prices of £75 were also blamed.
228,976 when Tiger Woods won eight years earlier. after heckling Rory McIlroy . 2006 improvement on last year, when 'just' 142,036 spectators were at Muirfield to see Phil