The Open Championship has, so usually down the years, been as a lot a battle with the weather because it has the swing for the world’s high golfers.
Current Royal Birkdale Opens have been no totally different. When the Southport venue final staged the sport’s oldest championship in 2017, play was briefly suspended in the course of the second spherical due to heavy wind and rain.
In 2008, on the finish of every week largely dominated by horrendous climate, Padraig Harrington prevailed with a successful rating of three over par, 4 pictures away from Ian Poulter.
This week, nevertheless, it’s shaping as much as be a a lot totally different take a look at, with agency and fiery situations anticipated at a sun-baked Birkdale.
“The course is primed for an incredible week. It is as linksy as hyperlinks will get,” 2014 champion Rory McIlroy advised BBC Sport’s Iain Carter.
“It is loads totally different than after I was right here a couple of weeks in the past [for a practice round]. It isn’t fairly as inexperienced, the tough is not fairly as juicy – it is nonetheless lengthy, the fescue, however it’s slightly thinner due to the climate we have had.”
With the tough having been “burnt out” by the solar, McIlroy – who shot 73-64 over the weekend to complete tied seventh eventually week’s Scottish Open – is approaching the week with an attacking mindset.
“I feel I can play the course slightly extra aggressively than I might, so I am excited by that risk, however it’s a terrific take a look at,” added the six-time main winner, who completed joint fourth at Birkdale in 2017.
“The adjustments they’ve made to the golf course over the previous couple of years, I feel it may be a terrific golf match that exams all points of the sport.”
