Golf in a pinball machine: wizard McIlroy faces Birkdale‘s yellow brick road

Rory McIlroy is competing at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, seeking his second Claret Jug title. A severe heatwave has scorched the course, dramatically altering playing conditions and making it difficult to predict the outcome of the tournament. The extreme heat has transformed Birkdale into an unusually challenging and unpredictable venue for the major championship.