The tough links course will be hosting the event for the 11th time, the last being in 1967.

The Wirral venue was then dropped from the championship rota as it lacked sufficient space for the tented village, had inadequate practice facilities and was beset with traffic problems.

The championship's organising body, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, made the announcement at Hoylake on Tuesday.

Peter Dawson, secretary of the R&A, said: "Royal Liverpool is a club with a long and distinguished history and we are delighted that we are now able to bring the Open back to this wonderful course."

Ernie Els won the 131st Open Championship at Muirfield in July and will defend his title at Royal St George's in 2003.

The event will be held at Royal Troon in 2004 and returns to St Andrews, its spiritual home, in 2005.

"I know that our members as well as the local people of Hoylake, West Kirby and Wirral will be proud to give a very warm welcome to the great golfers of the world, the media and the golfing public in 2006."

Established in 1869 and extended to 18 holes in 1871, Hoylake is the second oldest seaside links course in England - Devon's Westward Ho! predating it by a few years.

Robert Chambers and George Morris designed the course on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club.

In its first seven years Hoylake coexisted as a race track and golf course, but by 1897 it was sufficiently established as a golfing venue to host its first Open.

Hoylake's most famous Open moment came in 1930, when Bobby Jones scooped the Claret Jug on his way to a still unmatched single-year Grand Slam.