Image source, PA Media

More from Shane Lowry on whether he's a good frontrunner: "I wouldn't say I'm a good runner!

"I'm not sure Scottie Scheffler is too worried about anyone with the form he's in. He's obviously on the leaderboard, and he's one person that people are going to be talking about.

"There's some other guys there as well. I see Justin Rose going well, and this guy Daniel Brown. I've never played with him, but obviously he had a great day yesterday and looks to be going all right today.

"Yeah, I don't know. I think if I give myself a chance on Sunday, I know I can do it. That's as good a position to be in as any."

On his double bogey at 11: "I was happy enough leaving there with a six. It wasn't a disaster. I was still leading the tournament."

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Shane Lowry after shooting a two-under 69 to move clear at the top of the leaderboard: "It was good. I felt like I went out there, I was in control of my ball, did all the right things for a lot of the round. Then when I got in a bit of trouble, I feel like I really finished the round well.

"I'm pretty happy with the day. To be leading this tournament after two days, it's why you come here, it's why we're here.

"The job tomorrow as well is to try to put myself in a position to win this tournament on Sunday, and that's what I'll try and do.

"It's just about going out and playing my own game, shooting the best score I can, and then seeing where it leaves me at the end of the day. Try not to worry about what other people are doing and just trying to take care of your own personal stuff."

Right, I've looked back at them all and it's an eight (8!) for Robert MacIntyre on the par-five fourth hole as his start is now officially calamitous.

It's a second triple bogey to add to the one at the first and with two bogeys in between that means he's eight over par for just four holes - that looks more like my scorecard than a recent Scottish Open champion's.

He walked onto the first tee looking to launch a challenge for the title, he's trudging off the fourth green looking increasingly unlikely to make the cut!

Image source, Getty Images

Dan Brown just will not go away at the top of the leaderboard! He's been outstanding today, outstanding.

He's up to the green in two and lags his eagle putt within five feet. The birdie putt drops and he's back to even par for the day.

A superb round of golf by the Englishman.

Brian Harman finds himself in a tricky spot to the right of the third green and pitches to 10 feet from the cup.

Pushed a little left - a bogey for Brian.

Viktor Hovland can't sink his par putt from 20 feet and he drops back to five over.

I'm not sure how much more of this I can take, let alone Robert MacIntyre as he's in all kinds of bother again on the fourth.

He has to hit a provisional off the tee having carved his first into the right rough. The good news is he finds his first ball, the bad is he has a swipe at it, chunks it four yards and the ball's then unplayable!

He takes a drop, and a wild hack out of the grass follows, which I think is his fourth shot and that sprays across into the rough on the opposite side! Shot number five is another hack out into, yep, you guessed it, the right rough.

My head is spinning....

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Matt Fitzpatrick, speaking after a tough round of 78 today: "A lot of poor shots and not a good day. Frustrating? That's an understatement.

"You're used to it [the wind] going one way at the hole for four holes, from the range to the front nine and then to make the switch pretty instantly is bizarre. It's tough - there's no two ways about it."

As just mentioned, it'll be an anxious wait to discover if he'll make the cut.

As the afternoon goes on, attention will turn to what score will be required to make the cut - especially with the likes of Bryson DeChambeau (+5), Robert MacIntyre (+6) and Rory McIlroy (+7) all struggling.

In short, anyone who is within the top 70 - or tied with the 70th-place player - will play the weekend, but that's a moveable object.

As it stands the cut is at five over but some, such as two-time European Tour winner Graeme Storm (at 15:32 BST) are predicting that to slip to at least six over.

A tremendous par save for Rory McIlroy, who was short and left of the green in two.

He sinks the par putt from about eight feet - a real confidence booster as the wind continues to get up at Troon.

Richard Winton
BBC Scotland at Royal Troon

Birdie chance missed. Justin Rose stays at four under.

Richard Winton
BBC Scotland at Royal Troon

After attacking what appeared to be a mammoth wrap with some gusto as he powered up the 10th, Justin Rose does the same to the pin with his approach.

Birdie chance coming…

It's turning into an actual nightmare for Bob MacIntyre now after making another bogey to slip to six over for the tournament and five over for the round - in just three holes!

He finds the fairway bunker this time on the third, and after a splash out he tries to stick his third nice and close, but although it finds the green it's 20 feet away.

There and angry smack of the Troon turf from a clearly frustrated MacIntyre as his entire championship looks like unravelling early on.

Graeme Storm
Two-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think six-over will definitely make the cut. That’s a bold statement right now but earlier on I did think seven-over might make it because you never know what’s going to happen. As we stand on this high tee box overlooking 15 the wind is whistling across this golf course.

Pars on the second for this group thanks to a nine-footer from Bryson DeChambeau to salvage his four, while Ludvig Aberg just missed an 18-foot birdie try to also settle for a four.

Tom Kim also had to work hard to save par after missing the green long, as he made a seven-footer to join his playing partners.

Brian Harman goes close with his birdie attempt from 25 feet on the par-four second hole, but it slips just past the right edge and he must settle for another par.

Chris in Sheffield: Tiger should continue to play the Opens like all the other greats have done when past their best. However, he needs to lower his expectation levels and just come along for the ride, knowing that if he makes the cut, it’s an unexpected bonus. We can all then relax and watch the great man enjoy playing.

Peter B: Re 15:00, Richard Winton needs to lay off the baked beans.

Dan Brown leaves himself a seven-footer for par on 15 and is safe as houses once again with the flat stick.

The par-five 16th is next - a potential chance to pick up a shot.

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Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods after his six-over 77 left him 14 over par for the tournament: "It wasn't very good. I was fighting it pretty much all day. I never really hit it close enough to make birdies and consequently made a lot of bogeys."

On just playing major championships in 2024: "I've loved it. I've always loved played major championships. I just wish I was more physically sharp coming into the majors. Obviously it tests you mentally, physically, emotionally and I just wasn't as sharp as I needed to be.

"I'd like to have played more but I just wanted to make sure I was able to play the major championships this year. I've got better even though my results haven't really shown it. Physically, I've got better which is great.

"I just need to keep progressing and then eventually start playing more competitively and getting into the competitive flow again."

Richard Winton
BBC Scotland at Royal Troon

Yet another par save for Justin Rose. Another really gutsy putt on nine to complete his up-and-down. He’s now turning for home and will, in theory, have a friendlier wind…

Dan Rapaport
American golf journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

Rory McIlroy has got a tough task ahead of him.

I do think the cut will move up maybe even to +6 with how windy it is right now so he’s really going to have to play a solid round of golf, especially over the first nine holes, to keep himself in the tournament and avoid a really bitter end to a major season - and guaranteeing that the drought reaches its 11th year.