Any hopes Rory McIlroy had have clambering the leaderboard have come crashing down.

it's another double bogey for the world number two at the par-five 17th and he'll slip back to four under for the tournament.

On the bridge. In the heather. Can Ludvig Aberg close off a dramatic hole by limiting the damage to one shot?

Yes, he calmly rolls in from seven feet and allows a smile to cross his face.

One dropped shot after his sojourn into the wilderness feels like a let-off.

Image source, Getty Images

Tyrrell Hatton is running hot. In a good way.

Four birdies in a row from nine to 12 and suddenly he is into a share of fourth. Outstanding from the Englishman.

He's in this.

Unfortunately Justin Rose has not stopped the bleeding yet.

He escaped the bunker to four feet but scruffs it wide.

More woes for Rose.

Meanwhile back at the sixth, Viktor Hovland is trying to emulate Ewen Ferguson's monster putt from off the green.

Oh he's left it quite short. and looks rueful. No need though as the leader keeps his cool to pocket from six feet.

Stays two shots ahead - and that's likely to grow given Aberg's troubles.

It's a good job Ludvig Aberg is in a gleaming white polo shirt otherwise we would not be able to spot him amid the trees.

In fact, his ball is actually on a wooden bridge down there. Somehow he's avoided the ditch but it is not a fun place to be.

He gets out but there's a groan as his ball plunges into the heather.

The seventh is having its way with the Swede.

Trish Johnson
Former Europe Solheim Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

He's just got to hang in there and not blow himself out of the tournament.

In the third round at the Masters on the back nine, he went to pieces. We thought he looked totally done.

Then he came back and produced the most incredible last round. If he can just hang around, he's by no means out of it.

But he needs to stop the bleeding.

You've seen forests, right? Giant trees, thick undergrowth, overhanging branches.

Well, that's where we find Justin Rose down the sixth. So uncharacteristic from the Englishman.

Out he gets but his ball lands in a greenside bunker.

As Justin Rose topples down the leaderboard, a fellow Ryder Cup star begins to make his move.

Tyrrell Hatton has just drained his third birdie in four holes to leap up to nine under par through 11.

Up to a share of seventh and leapfrogging his team-mate.

How about that from Richie Ramsay?

A wand of a wedge from the Scot rescues a par from nowhere and keeps him at 10 under.

After getting himself 14 feet for par, Justin Rose is off line with his putt and leaves three feet for bogey.

Intake of breath as the usual dead-eye putter lets him down and it slides by.

A brutal double bogey for Rose.

I said earlier that Ludvig Aberg had underhit a putt at the fifth. Viktor Hovland has done the same and left himself a niggly couple of feet for par.

It's OK, he's tidied up to stay well in front.

As for Hideki Matsuyama, he's done very well to save after another wayward tee shot.

But what of Justin Rose...?

We've not mentioned France's Adrien Saddier but he is quietly mounting a challenge.

Four birdies and a bogey in his opening seven holes has him just three shots back from Viktor Hovland and in third.

Oh Rosey, he's beyond the path at the fifth and chipping from next to the tee box of the sixth.

The crowd parts and he takes aim. High, splash down and give himself a chance of a par.

He's done it very well and will have 14 feet to save a par,

What a putt from Ewen Ferguson at the sixth.

Shoved out on the fringe from 60 feet, he's judged that immaculately and round it comes before plopping into the hole.

A belter from the Scotsman!

Angry reaction from Justin Rose as he completely skews his tee shot at the par-three fifth.

Some rare colourful language from the Englishman as he contemplates chipping onto the green from the path.

Ah, hit it Ludvig!

It's a lengthy putt for the Swede so a two-putt par is just fine. Still he had the line and it just came up short.

Much better news for Justin Rose as he cleans up for his first birdie of the day. He joins Hideki Matsuyama at 10 under.

The leader is stretching away though. Viktor Hovland's third birdie of the opening four holes sees him take a two-shot lead.

Ugly for Hideki Matsuyama at the fourth. After scraping himself to limit the damage to bogey, he misses from four feet and it's the first double here today.

Away he drops from the lead.

Justin Rose is just behind the fourth green with his third shot on this hole, chipping out of the rough to set up a birdie chance.

Beautifully judged and he should be able to tidy up.

I'd imagine Viktor Hovland will also get himself a shot - terrifically played out of the sand from the Norwegian.