The Open Championship is the latest sporting event to be interrupted by Just Stop Oil after the activist group took responsibility for invading the 17th green at Hoylake on Friday, with the American golfer Billy Horschel helping to escort a woman into police custody.

The woman was one of four protesters who were arrested after spreading orange powder over the 17th green before Horschel and nearby marshals intervened, despite a previous instruction by the Royal & Ancient for players and caddies not to take action if any protest occurred.

“We can confirm four people have been arrested following an incident at the Open,” read a police statement. “A small amount of powder was discarded on to the playing surface and it was reported that one person had a smoke pyrotechnic. Two males and two females were quickly detained by both stewards and officers, and they were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and public nuisance. They will be taken into police custody to be questioned.

“Merseyside police respects the right to protest and expression of views but antisocial, criminal behaviour or disorder will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.”

The campaigners were largely booed by the watching crowd, and Horschel was roundly cheered for his part in apprehending one of them. British television coverage did not broadcast any of the protests, with commentators mentioning only “a break in the golf” and how Horschel was “going to tackle” the challenge of the 17th hole.

Police were seen taking a sample of the powder before greenkeepers used leaf blowers to clear the putting surface. Play was able to resume shortly afterwards.

A statement from Just Stop Oil read: “Supporters have disrupted the British Open – they demand that the UK government halts all new oil and gas projects. There will be no more holes in one when our society collapses. We must stop our government’s 100 new oil and gas licenses before they go on to cause more harm.”

Two of the protesters were identified as Noah Crane, 18, a community coordinator, and 19-year-old student Hailey Birch.

“I’m disrupting the Open today, not because I want to, but as a young person, I feel I have no other choice,” said Crane. “This government is knowingly taking action that will kill hundreds of millions of people and destroy my future. They have made it clear that they value the profits of the few over the lives of the many. So now we must make it clear that we will not stand for that; that we will not roll over and allow them to sell our lives to line their pockets.”

Sporting events have increasingly been targeted by Just Stop Oil. This month three people made it on to Court 18 at Wimbledon, showering the grass with orange confetti and pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. During the men’s Ashes Test at Lord’s, a protester was removed from the field of play by the England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. In April, play at the World Snooker Championship was delayed after a man released powdered orange paint into the Crucible and sat kneeling on a baize table.

It is not the first time Hoylake has been hit by protests. In 2006, Fathers 4 Justice campaigners threw dye on the 18th green as Tiger Woods approached.

Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A which hosts the Open, had said before this year’s tournament there were “significant security procedures” in place with police to stop protesters – including plainclothes officers and stringent security checks on arrival – in light of a “very credible threat” being made at last year’s Open by environmental protesters.

Regarding Friday’s incident, the R&A released a brief statement: “Play was not disrupted and we would like to thank the marshals, players and other spectators for their vigilance and understanding as the protesters were removed.”