George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Driver off the deck for Bob MacIntyre as he tries to reach the par-five third in two.

He’s watching it anxiously as it trundles towards the bunker at the front of the green, but that shouldn’t cause him too many issues.

Scottie Scheffler was forced to lay up after finding the rough off the tee.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

“That was cool, wasn’t it boys,” says a father to his sons in the crowd.

“A fist-bump from Scheffler,” replies one, almost in disbelief.

There’s plenty of American fans in East Lothian, willing on the world’s best player.

Chris Gotterup, the current leader, reckons he played some "smart" golf on his way to a course-record equalling 61.

"I definitely played good today," he said.

"Not a lot of wind in the morning which was obviously beneficial. But yeah, it's funny, when it flips you get some holes that you like and some holes that you don't like and vice versa.

"I think there's definitely certain holes that feel nice. Nice three pars to finish.

"You just take what you can get, what the course gives you with the wind, and I think it's much more pin location oriented and where you can get to in some spots you have to be smart and take your 30-footer on some holes.

"It was pretty stress-free for the most part and that's always good around here."

Image source, Getty Images

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Adam Scott can’t hole his testing par putt and drops a shot, but two good pars for world number one Scottie Scheffler and Bob MacIntyre, who has a fetching golf bag.

The tartan is the Doddie Weir Foundation's own. A nice tribute from one Scottish sportsman to another.

Image source, Getty Images

Rory McIlroy admitted he was "feeling pretty good" about being in contention, as he carded a superb 65 to finish the day seven under.

"There was momentum coming off the finish last night," he said. "I hit two good shots into the tenth hole - which was our first - and just got going from there.

"The conditions were so good for us this morning. It felt like if you didn't play that first nine in three or four under, you were losing strokes to the field.

"The guys are going to have it a touch tougher this afternoon so it was nice to get out in the best of the conditions today.

"I'm feeling pretty good," he continued. "I did a lot of good things today, a couple of loose shots here and there but overall, it was a good day. I'm excited for the weekend, right in the thick of things, in contention going into the last two days.

"If there's anything you need to work on in your game, that's where it's going to show, under that sort of pressure, trying to win a golf tournament."

Image source, Getty Images

Justin Thomas, a lover of links golf, tries to laser a fairway wood on the long par-five third but can't find the green.

He's waving the club about midair as if he can control the ball. Clearly unhappy with the connection.

He needs to get a few under par to have some breathing space.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Bob MacIntyre, from a horrible spot in the left rough, hacks out a magnificent shot to the back of the second green.

It draws a round of applause from the big crowd, who are willing on the Oban native.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Sepp Straka - one of the four overnight leaders - has a longish birdie look at the second hole, but the Austrian misreads the break slightly and settles for par.

Justin Thomas then leaves his effort well short and wafts his putter in frustration.

A putt up the bank and back down towards the hole from well off the green from Scheffler. Caddie Ted Scott had the flag out from that far away, a sign of Scheffler's confidence perhaps.

It checks up a foot long and right, but a par should be a formality from there.

Adam Scott is similarly close for his par putt - he gives it a long look anyway - before rolling it in.

A longer look at par for Bob MacIntyre, but he gives it a firm hit and it drops in off the back of the cup.

A ball-striking clinic of a group here.

One to watch for sure as they all get going off the first tee.

JJ Spaun pitches from way over on the right to five feet and knocks it in for par. His tournament is over, time to head to Portrush and learn everything he can.

Tommy Fleetwood has to flop one back towards the pin, and it also holds up around five feet from the cup. The par putt drops.

Worryingly, Scotland's Connor Syme double bogeys the last and is now one under for the tournament. As it stands, he'll be here for the weekend, but it may be a bit of a sweat for him if the scoring remains low.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club

Bob MacIntyre, just minutes before he tees off for his second round, has gone straight to a volunteer, shook his hand and said “thanks for your help”.

What a lovely bloke he seems.

Harry Hall, who at one point set the clubhouse lead - although has since been overtaken by Matt Fitzgerald and then Chris Gotterup - has been talking to the media about the splendid conditions today.

"This wind position allows you to hold the green on a couple par fives, and yeah, it made five drivable. Definitely an easier wind," he said.

"I just hope it's not blowing 40mph like it did a couple years ago. I was in a similar position and didn't really deal with the gusts that well on that Sunday. If it does get up, hopefully I'll learn from the last time.

"I qualified at Burnham, 36 holes on the links there on Tuesday, and I had not played links golf for a few months, at least eight months. I think I've fitted quite nicely back into it."

Image source, Getty Images

Tommy Fleetwood gives one back on the second-last hole of the day.

His tee shot flew well left, and he was unable to scramble back for par.

It's a similar story for JJ Spaun, who is now looking very unlikely to be here for the weekend.

Connor Syme can record a par here, though.

Not quite the ending Rory McIlroy would have wanted, as his birdie putt pulls up short. He taps in for par and an impressive 65 - although that bogey at the eighth will annoy him.

It's a bogey for Xander Schauffele on the ninth, and he looks miffed. Just a second bogey of the day, which takes the shine off a strong performance.

Viktor Hovland ends with a par. He finishes two over for the day, after starting with a double bogey. It's a big fluctuation from yesterday, when he finished four under.

Image source, Getty Images

We've now got seven players at seven-under as Nico Echavarria, the Colombian who shared the overnight lead, birdies his first hole.

Canadian Nick Taylor and American Keith Mitchell are the other names up there on the scoreboard, while German Matti Schmid is there too, building on an impressive 65 yesterday.

Oh dear. With a par putt of just three feet to make, Rory McIlroy misses the cup.

A hugely disappointing bogey at the eighth, and his first of the day. He'll be sick about that.

He just has the ninth to play to try and make up for it.

It's been a glorious day for Matt Fitzpatrick.

The Yorkshireman was only one under at the start of play, but finds himself with a share of third currently after a bogey-free 63.

That included three birdies in a row from the fourth to the sixth.

He might have been helped by the pressure applied from playing partner Brian Harman. Another US Open winner, he went round in five under but currently sits five shots back.

Another bogey for Connor Syme as his topsy-turvy back nine continues.

JJ Spaun, who is in danger of missing the cut, tidies up for a par.

Tommy Fleetwood likewise taps in for par.

Chris Gotterup has a putt for a new course record, but he leaves it well short.

No danger with the second effort though and the leader cards a record-equalling 61.

Nine birdies, no bogeys - brilliant stuff from the American, who leads the field by two.