The World Cup is over, Wimbledon is done and dusted... now it's time for golf to hog the limelight.

This weekend sees the sport's oldest major, The Open, take place in Angus on the famous Carnoustie course.

A host of stars are ready to vie for the prestigious title, with Rory McIlroy, Jordan Speith and Tiger Woods amongst those in contention.

Carnoustie, notoriously one of golf's toughest tests, is set to live up to its billing after a scorching Scottish summer left the course baked out.

Here's what lies in store over the next four days.

With Carnoustie baked out, strategy will be key this week.

The course is playing fast and firm, with players able to drive the ball massive distances. Tiger Woods hit a seven-iron from the tee of the 415-yard fourth in practice, while Padraig Harrington ended up in the water at the 18th after lashing the ball a full 457 yards.

Balls will run, leaving players out of position often. Par could well be a great score for a second straight major.

Dustin Johnson arrives in Carnoustie as the favourite to double his majors title haul.

The American tops the world rankings after two top ten finishes in the year's first two big ones, and has form at The Open after finishing in the top ten three times across his nine appearances to date.

But Johnson hasn't played since the US Open in June, where he saw a four-shot lead at the halfway point ebb away before finishing third.

Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy remains widely tipped to end his barren spell by reclaiming the Claret Jug for the first time since 2015.

The Northern Irishman has struggled for form at the business-end of golf's major tournaments of late, but is taking inspiration upon his arrival from another sporting star who ended his own winning wait at the weekend.

"Seeing Novak (Djokovic) winning Wimbledon, he hadn't won it in a while, and the emotion he showed after that was really cool," said McIlroy.

"Golfers and tennis players are similar in the sense that they're both trying to win four tournaments and it is a huge deal.

"And if you've won some, you really want to win more."

Jordan Spieth has a battle on his hands to defend his Open title after enduring possibly the worst period of his fledgling career of late.

Spieth dominated at Birkdale 12 months ago, winning by three shots on his way to being named 'champion golfer of the year'.

But this year hasn't proven anywhere near as fruitful to date, with the 24-year-old missing three cuts in seven tournaments since finishing third at the Masters in April.

He's proven himself capable of finding his form when it matters most, however, and will certainly fancy his chances should he be in the mix on the final day.

At one point it looked unlikely, but Tiger Woods is back ready to contest his first British Open since 2015.

Despite undergoing spinal fusion surgery just 12 months ago, the American insists he's not just at Carnoustie to make up the numbers and fancies his chances of a tilt at a fourth Open title.

In his favour, Woods won't have to hit too many drivers over the famous links course, while his driving-iron stinger is back to near its best.

Word of caution comes from his history at Carnoustie, though. He finished 12th in 2007 and seventh in 1999 on his two previous visits.

Scotland's leading hope Russell Knox has hit form at just the right time ahead of The Open.

The Inverness-born golfer stormed to a dramatic Irish Open win earlier this month by sinking two monster putts in the closing stages.

That result left Knox in a buoyant mood, but being paired with star attraction Tiger Woods and Hideki Matsuyama has lifted the 33-year-old's spirits even further.

The threesome is bound to be followed by bumper crowds across the weekend.

For Knox, the chance to pit his wits against Woods is "a dream come true".

Another Scot has seen his dreams fulfilled at Carnoustie just by qualifying for the tournament.

Amateur Sam Locke will mix it with the pros this week after winning at the Renaissance Club earlier this month.

The 19-year-old, who funds his play by working as a barista, is "absolutely ecstatic" at the prospect of playing his part at golf's oldest major.

Phil Mickelson will be hoping to grab the headlines at Carnoustie for all the right reasons after doing so for all the wrong ones during the US Open.

The five-times majors winner took a controversial penalty at Shinnecock Hills after hitting a moving ball to stop it running off the green.

Critics said he should have been disqualified, with Mickelson conceding he does a lot of "dumb stuff" afterwards.

A stand-out showing in Angus would go a long way towards easing any burden on the American's shoulders.

Judging by this flop shot, he's not lost his way just yet, though.

Another man hitting the front pages has been Englishman Ian Poulter, who found himself in hot water last week at the Scottish Open.

Crime author Quintine Jardine, who was acting as a course marshal at Gullane, claimed in a letter of complaint that Poulter swore repeatedly and acted aggressively following a wayward drive.

Poulter, however, denied the accusations.

This year's tournament will offer a purse of $10.5m (£7.87m), up $250,000 on last year.

Not bad for a weekend's graft.