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

The impact of a heatwave is laid bare by the Open venue’s scorched earth, making the competition for the Claret Jug even harder to gauge A star was born in 1976 at Royal Birkdale. Seve Ballesteros was unable to press home his 54-hole advantage due to a combination of a Sunday 74 and Johnny Miller’s surge. Still, the swashbuckling style of the 19-year-old Spaniard captured hearts and minds. Ballesteros played golf – and successfully – from all parts of the famous links. The 50th anniversary of…