The only conditions we love to see more than wind and rain at The Open Championship are the burnt-out fairways of a warm and dry summer. As much of the UK grapples with another hot July, shorts and G&Ts (made with a special gin just for The Open) are the order of the day as Royal Birkdale is ready to set records for rollout at the most storied major championship.

Our man with a camera, Omar Rawlings, was on the ground earlier this week and captured the scene on the ground in Southport. This year, the R&A held a one-spot, 18-hole stroke-play Monday qualifier as a "last chance" to earn a spot in the 156-man field. Joe Dean, an Englishman on the DP World Tour and a former supermarket delivery driver, won it with a two-under-par 68.

After St Andrews, Royal Birkdale is the most frequent host of The Open, and the club has a rich history of memorable championships. With the added drama of the last chance qualifier and the good weather, the energy at Birkdale was buzzing.

The week of The Open is always one of the best of the year. We can't wait to see what happens at firm and fast Southport this week as we await the Champion Golfer of the Year's arrival.