Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on 5 Live

The rain that we had yesterday has taken a tiny bit of the sting out of the course, so it's not as bouncy. It's not a bouncy course anyway, but it's even less bouncy now.

It's going to make controlling the ball slightly easier.

There are 35 players within three shots of the lead at present.

Rasmus Hojgaard almost gets out of jail with a nice par putt on seven but the ball just skates past the edge of the hole so he has to make do with a six to drop out of that band of leaders at Portrush.

One of the shots of the day from Rickie Fowler on the par-three 13th, within four feet of the cup.

A very good birdie takes him to two under and two off the lead.

The top sections of the leaderboard are more congested than the M25 at rush hour right now.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

The weather can often play a huge role in helping shape an Open.

So often players talk about being on the 'right side' of the draw.

You are either early Thursday/late Friday, or late Thursday/early Friday.

This week, it looks to be favouring the late/early side.

Their average score was 1.2 strokes fewer than those who were out in the worst of the rain on Thursday morning.

And the forecast for today is for relatively calm weather for the early starters with more rain coming in for the later players.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on 5 Live

That was one foot from the out of bounds trench, it was in the most horrible deep grass. No one could see the ball, Rory had to get rummaging to find it.

As mentioned a little while earlier, the par-five second has proved to be a good scoring opportunity for the morning wave of players on day two.

Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth all take advantage to improve their scores.

Hovland has made birdies on the first two holes to get back to level par for the tournament.

Image source, PA Media

Ball found but unplayable so Rory McIlroy has to take a drop into only a slightly better situation in the rough and he's got plenty of work to do just to get back onto the short stuff.

He's managed to play a blinder here though as he muscles the ball out and finds the fairway only some 50 yatrds short of the green or so.

Up and down there for a par now needed.

Catriona Matthew
Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

Fantastic birdie there from Rose. He was due one after those great shots on the first two holes.

Three very good tee shots from this group on the par three, all safely on the green.

Justin Rose putts first from 30-odd feet - holes it! A tiny fist pump from the Englishman, who is three under par now and one shot off the lead.

Robert MacIntyre has 15 feet to go for his birdie two, but his attempt breaks a tad too much. Par.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Royal Portrush

Image source, Getty Images

It was a regular story yesterday and there's more waiting on the second tee for this group of McIlroy, Fleetwood and Thomas.

They all seem to be in good form though, with McIlroy chatting to his caddie, Harry Diamond, about watching a bit of Squid Game last night as they wait.

His drive from the tee was almost eliminated from the Games after going wild right, but it seems to have stayed in bounds.

Rasmus Hojgaard is another player in trouble as he lost his ball after going wide right off the seventh tee, so had to reload for another crack at it.

As usual, the second attempt is always a straight one and he then gets on the green with his fourth so remarkably has a par putt since this is a par five.

In case you're struggling to keep up, we've currently got an eight-way tie for the lead - with four out on the course.

The fifth has just made his way down the first fairway. Harris English finished in the gloom last night and starts off with a straightforward par.

No English winner of The Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.

It would be ironic if this American 'changed' that.

We're not convinced by Ror-acoaster...

Alistair Bruce-Ball
BBC Radio 5 Live correspondent at Portrush

We're back on board the 'Ror-acoaster' today.

Oh dear. Rory McIlroy is in big trouble here with a wild slice right off the second tee that's perilously close to the out of bounds which is hardly ever in play on this hole.

Fans and spotters think they've found the ball but it'll be deep down in the hay out there. He may get a break but that's a wild one and a big worry after his driving woes yesterday.

Image source, Getty Images

Tyrrell Hatton took two putts from 22 feet on the second. On the third, he needs just one. And given he found the green in one and it's a par three, that's a first birdie of the day for the Englishman.

More importantly, it propels him into an eight-way share of the lead. Don't go anywhere folks, this is heating up nicely.

Brian Harman gives himself another birdie chance which would take him into the lead.

It's a big swinger from right to left - and it just stays out there, narrowly wide of the cup. A par for the American.

Joaquin Niemann makes no mistake with his birdie putt from seven feet and repairs some of the damage from that double bogey on the first.

Image source, Getty Images

A tremendous approach from Bob MacIntyre serves up an eagle chance for the Scot on the par-five second.

Bryson DeChambeau is about the same distance away.

Both narrowly miss their eagle putts but mop up from short range for birdie fours.

Justin Rose is in the rough to the left of the green in two. He's left with a tricky pitch which he gets to within eight feet, but he can't sink the birdie putt. Another par for the Englishman.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on 5 Live

That was sensational. He took ages over the reading of the putt, but superb. What a start.