Organisers of The Open on Monday confirmed that the £1.15million top prize will not go to the player finishing second in major if an amateur wins the tournament.

The R&A has clarified the ruling on prize money following the incredible performance of Irish amateur Paul Dunne, who was joint-top of the leaderboard on -12 heading into the final round at St Andrews.

With the 22-year-old ineligible to claim any winnings should he manage to become the first amateur to lift the Claret Jug since Bobby Jones in 1930, his professional rivals all stand to benefit.

"The Open is a standalone championship and the Championship Committee does not believe that first-place prize money should be paid to a second-place finisher." said an R&A statement.

"Amateur players are not eligible to win prize money and therefore, should an amateur win The 144th Open, first-place prize money will be distributed proportionately among the professional players who have made the cut."

Dunne was a 1500/1 shot to take the title before the tournament got underway, but is now vying with fellow-leaders Jason Day and Louis Oosthuizen to achieve a truly remarkable triumph, with the in-form Jordan Spieth, Padraig Harrington and another amateur, American Ollie Schniederjans, among a host of contenders.