Tiger Woods push for a 15th Major championship at the 141st Open Championship is being ruined by mobile phones.

The R & As decision to lift the five-year ban on patrons bringing phones to The Open is back-firing badly and it’s the players who are moaning.

It was Woods who complained to the R & A executive after his 2006 Open victory at Hoylake saying how badly he had been pestered by the digital cameras.

Golf’s ruling body reacted immediately banning mobile phones and cameras and introducing airport-style x-ray facilities at Carnoustie for the 2007 Open, and in a move especially welcomed by the players.

It brought golf’s oldest Major in line with the Masters, the U.S. Open and U.S. PGA who also have banned the use of mobile phones on course.

However in a move the R & A said would increase spectator enjoyment of The Open, the St. Andrews-based ruling body announced last April it was allowing people to bring their mobile phones to The Open to ‘enrich the experience’ but on the condition they had to be used in special ‘mobile zone’ areas about the championship course.

Six years on and everyone now owns a mobile phone and with spectators showing no respect, no courtesy and completey ignoring signs and the calls of marshalls not to use their phones, and whether or not on silent mode.

So while the move may have ‘enriched’ the experience for spectators it’s detracted the enjoyment for competitors.

Woods along playing partners Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose had to back off shots at least on 10 occasions during their second rounds, and with marshalls and Woods’ three British Army minders, figthing a losing battle.

All three caddies could be clearly heard begging spectators to stop using their mobile phones in taking snaps of the players.

It was the same scenario in making other groups including Rory McIlroy’s grouping and also Lee Westwood.

The situation got so bad towards the last few holes of Woods round that the Deputy Chief Marshall for this year’s event, along with six of his colleagues, moved in to try and quell the concern.

Nine-time Major winning, Gary Player said the answer to the problem is simple:  “The answer for organisers is simple, no mobile phones.

“It’s tough on the marshalls not only having to look out and be helping the players but they’re having to control the use of mobile phones.

“They ban mobile phones at the Masters and they should be banned here at The Open.

“New media is good and you have to encourage new media but you have to make it clear to golf patrons – no mobile phones.”