Bunker again off the tee!

A yard short once more with his drive and it catches the sand for Rory McIlroy. More problems on the second.

That comes moments after watching Bryson DeChambeau thrash his drive perfectly down the fairway and onto the downslope.

It's the polar opposite of yesterday.

Jason Day takes the low road at his second attempt on the second, and almost holes the thing! It's a par though - same for Ludvig Aberg too despite his best efforts with his birdie putt.

You really need to be picking up shots on this hole on Sunday.

Boy oh boy - I wonder what "cliched mantras" Rory McIlroy has got tucked away on his notepad from sports psychologist Bob Rotella?

He's going to need to get reading on his way to the second tee.

Frankly, we did not see that coming.

If you're Bryson DeChambeau, you probably can't believe your luck.

And Rory McIlroy's missed bogey putt has given him a read too.

The US Open champion duly tidies away for par.

And we're immediately all square.

Eighteen feet for par.

I'm sure this wasn't on Rory McIlroy's bucket list for the opening hole when he closed his eyes after Bridgerton last night.

Away it rolls but it's not threatening the hole.

And he's missed the bogey putt too!

Double at the first!

Golf can make you look really silly sometimes - just ask Jason Day who takes swing after swing to practice a high tariff flop shot at the second, but the ball doesn't travel at all and drops still well short of the green.

As for Bryson DeChambeau, he's taking his time with his chip from about half the distance of Rory McIlroy.

A kick and run, rolling to about four feet. Much easier par attempt incoming for him.

It's a gnarly chip for Rory McIlroy with still 72 yards to a back-tucked pin on the first green.

His effort takes a couple of bounces and hangs at the back of the green but immediately, he'll face a very tricky par save coming back.

Hordes of people gathered around the first tee for this marquee final pair.

Only one show in town this evening.

Image source, Getty Images

Awkward stance for Rory McIlroy with his feet slightly above the ball in that giant fairway bunker.

He's had to clip out too and perhaps it's deadened by the lip of the trap.

Like Bryson DeChambeau, he'll still be chipping onto the green with his third.

What you really don't need if you're chasing is a bad start, but Corey Conners and Patrick Reed both suffer exactly that as they bogey the first hole.

It is indeed tree trouble for Bryson DeChambeau down the left side of the first.

He's having to clip out and bump it down the fairway to within touching distance of the green.

Taking his medicine.

If there's a player in the chasing pack likely to string a load of birdies together it's Ludvig Aberg, as he shows right away by picking up a shot at the first.

The top two seem clear, but as we know with Augusta big numbers are just one bad swing away...

Interesting input from Rory McIlroy as he shouts: "Fore left" when Bryson DeChambeau's tee shot goes awry.

Just a helpful playing partner making sure everyone is safe?

Or a neat bit of mind games?

You decide.

The world number one and former Open champion would be a box office pairing had there not been this heavyweight showdown between the top two.

Shane Lowry was not particularly happy with answering questions about Rory McIlroy last night when he's still in the fight himself, and he just crept a bit closer at the second with a birdie to get to six under.

As leader, it's Rory McIlroy's honour.

He blasted it 371 yards yesterday.

A grimace as it's not quite as long - and lands in the fairway bunker.

Over to Bryson DeChambeau but he's gone waay left and into the trees.

Slightly ropey start from these two.

Trish Johnson
Eight-time member of the Team Europe Solheim Cup team on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

The main thing is handling expectations, especially for McIlroy. His form this week is as good as anything I’ve seen him do apart from two little hiccups.

DeChambeau – I don’t think he’s playing that well.

Yesterday he holed absolute tram-liners to keep him within touch.

I think if McIlroy plays the way he did yesterday, I don’t think Dechambeau will touch him – but that’s a big if.

Image source, Getty Images

Call it now please.

If this is Rory’s, thumbs up.

If this is Bryson’s, thumbs down.

I’ve only got two options… so head over here if you want an option for someone else!

A giant grin frames Bryson DeChambeau's face as he brushes hands with the patrons on the way to the first tee.

Ever the showman, this is his stage.

Rory McIlroy has said he's going to "block out the noise".

Let's see how that goes.