Golf's top assemble for the British Open in anticipation of an uncertain future.

 The greatest names in golf will converge in Liverpool this week for the British Open as the foundations of a tense ceasefire between the regular tours and the breakaway LIV series are still being laid.

The PGA and DP World Tours unexpectedly revealed intentions to join with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which had funded large signing incentives and prize money for players to switch to LIV, last month.

Even the top players in the world who remained devoted to the PGA Tour are unaware of the specifics of how the partnership would operate.

The world's top player, Scottie Scheffler, stated at the Scottish Open last week, "They keep saying it's a player-run organisation (but) we don't really have the information that we need."

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Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth and world number six Xander Schauffele are among those to criticise PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, who returns to work later this week after a month-long medical absence, for a lack of transparency.

But Rory McIlroy, who has consistently put himself forward as an unofficial spokesman for the PGA Tour over the past 12 months, said last week he is now "apathetic" towards negotiations.

Defending British Open Cameron Smith was one of those to cash in on the riches offered by LIV just weeks after lifting the Claret Jug at St Andrews 12 months ago. The Australian heads to Hoylake fresh from winning the LIV London event earlier this month.

Any suggestion that the LIV defectors would struggle at the majors due to a lack of regular competitive golf has so far been dispelled. Smith has finished in the top 10 of both the PGA Championship and US Open this year.

Smith stated on Monday when he faced players like Scheffler and McIlroy once more, "It's fantastic seeing old friends.

"We're still trying to play our best golf out there on the LIV Tour, and there's still a lot of competition, especially at the top end there where they push you to play your best to win a golf tournament."

Brooks Koepka, another prominent figure on LIV, captured his fifth major at the PGA Championship in May and placed second at the Masters. McIlroy is still waiting for his fourth and final major.

who arrived nine years ago.

However, the Northern Irishman won his sole Claret Jug in 2014 at Hoylake, and after taking home the victory, he is confident as he returns to the Royal Liverpool.

Over the past two years, McIlroy has persistently pounded on the door of success. The world's second-ranked golfer, who has been in the top 10 in six of the past seven majors, just missed winning the US Open last month by one stroke.

A stressful Sunday on the greens at the Los Angeles Country Club was a rerun of last year's championship round at St. Andrews, where Smith's incredible eight under par effort overcame McIlroy's missed putts.

To have the validation is good. It's fantastic to finish in the top five and top 10, but it's far sweeter to leave on a Sunday with a trophy, according to McIlroy.

"It boosts my confidence and helps,"

Despite having an outstanding year on the Tour, Scheffler also wants to avoid going into the majors without any hardware. In 16 events in 2023, the American's lowest placing was a tie for 12th at The Genesis Invitational in February.

Despite finishing 10th in his defence of the Masters, second at the PGA Championship, and third at the US Open, Scheffler had two victories to show for it at the Players' Championship and Phoenix Open.