Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Royal Troon

A cheery umbrella pump from Justin Rose in acknowledgement of a cry of “Rosey, Rosey” as he walks on to the Postage Stamp tee

One enthusiastic punter in a tartan hat and waistcoat is politely asked to retake his seat after he leans over the barriers fist pumping like he’s just hit the tee shot.

Finding the rough behind the eighth green has provided a unique angle into the seventh for Dan Brown but it also leaves him a lengthy wait.

First, he's got to allow Dean Burmester and Scottie Scheffler to tidy up.

Then, he has to get out of the way as Justin Rose and Billy Horschel take aim at The Postage Stamp.

He'll get his second shot at some point.

Can either Patrick Cantlay or Xander Schauffele put their foot down on the back nine?

It’s Xander who makes yet another move - he's plundered another lengthy putt on the 10th - only the sixth birdie we’ve seen here all day.

He’s four under for the day and chasing down Shane Lowry.

Justin Rose takes his time to size up a 166-yard nine iron to the pin at the seventh, and he's pretty happy with his execution of the shot as he finds the green.

It leaves the Englishman with a lengthy putt for birdie but it comes up just short. He has to accept par, again.

Billy Horschel is a touch closer to the hole and sinks his third birdie of the round. The American is putting well in the conditions. He is on the charge, up to third spot on his own.

Scottie Scheffler and Dean Burmester both hit the green at the Postage Stamp, but so does Daniel Brown, who carves his drive off the seventh tee and after shouts of "fore" both of this pair are looking around with puzzled looks on their faces as a ball goes whizzing by them...

Here's how the top of the leaderboard looks:

• -8 Lowry (6)
• -6 Brown (6)
• -4 Schauffele (9), Horschel (6), Rose (6)
• -3 Lawrence (65), Burns (65), Henley (15), Scheffler (7)

Click here for the full leaderboard

Another tricky birdie opportunity for Justin Rose at the par-five sixth, but he has to settle for par after the ball loses its pace and comes up just short of the hole.

The Englishman furrows his brow.

American Billy Horschel, however, sinks his putt to grab a second birdie in the round and draws level with his playing partner at four under.

Image source, Getty Images

Now then Shane, can you profit from another par five?

His birdie putt from 16 feet is bang on line and he raises two fingers in celebration before staring into the distance as it just stays up.

Dan Brown continues to hang on though, an immaculate third shot brings up four feet for birdie and he buries.

An excellent front nine for Xander Schauffele as he tidies up his par.

He's three under today - and at a time when it hasn't really felt like a make your score first half.

Patrick Cantlay is yet to catch fire - he's one over today at the turn.

Scottie Scheffler finds the seventh fairway and takes a huge swing with a short iron in trying to generate some swazz on the ball, but although it digs its toes in it doesn't hit reverse so trundles 30 feet past.

He'll need to drain that huge putt to grab his second birdie of the day, following a nice one at the third.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Royal Troon

Patrick Cantlay gets a lot of stick for being a slow player but he and Xander Schauffele are well down the ninth before Jason Day and Corey Conners walk on to the eighth tee.

They’ve lost at least a hole. Pantomime “oohs and aaaahs from the stands as Conners’ ball heads for the Coffin bunker.

A second 65 of the day, this time from Sam Burns, and the American joins South Africa's Thriston Lawrence in the clubhouse on three under par.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on Radio 5 Live

Shane Lowry genuinely does look like he is enjoying himself.

He’s probably played in conditions like these a million times.

I know when he won the Irish Open as an amateur, he really enjoyed that when all the pros were whinging and whining about the conditions, and he was just relishing it.

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live coverage via the link at the top of the page.

How often do you follow your best shot of the round with an ugly shank into the rough?

It's happened to Xander Schauffele on the ninth as he swings his drive into the crowd.

He's got a break though with a trampled lie and still able to take aim at the green.

Superb spin brings it back too. Great result.

Billy Horschel has his cap turned backwards to stop the drips running down off the peak at his tee shot on the sixth.

The American, who is partnering Justin Rose, has four pars and a birdie from the opening five holes.

A solid round so far. He is just trying to keep himself in contention in these conditions.

A first bogey of the day for Russell Henley, who comes up short of the green on the long par-four 15th and can't get down in two from there.

He's now five off the lead.

Driver out, Shane Lowry thumps his tee shot at six down the fairway.

Dan Brown decides to give it even more heft and he thunders his shot straight past Lowry's , still safely in the short stuff.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Royal Troon

I’ve not really felt much wind for the past few holes but now I’ve made it to the top of the stand behind the eighth tee, I'm in the teeth of it.

It’s nowhere near as strong as yesterday but it’s straight into your face. And therefore, so is the rain!

“Lose the hat,” shouts one wag at Cantlay as his ball disappears down the slope to the right of the Postage Stamp green.

At least you got a decent view of Schauffele's shot.

Shot tracker says Xander Schauffele got it to one foot from the pin. Marvellous.

Patrick Cantlay is unfortunate to find the bunker and even more unfortunate that the moisture slows his sand save from rolling down the slope closer to the hole.

It costs him too - a first dropped shot of the day.

Richard Winton
BBC Scotland at Royal Troon

There were a few muted whoops from the sparsely-populated stands for Thriston Lawrence as he holed out amid the monsoon on 18.

Then the sodden South African took three attempts to successfully lob his ball to the clamouring kids in the front row before ducking into the sanctuary of the recorders' cabin.

He'll be delighted to get up the road with a strong clubhouse lead on the board.