Woods safely away down the 18th, gives himself a chance. Ian Poulter bogeys 15 and is four over, in serious danger of falling through the trap door. McIlroy's fourth from the green-side bunker at 16... pleasant, leaves himself about five feet.

Matt Kuchar of the United States has birdied 10 and 13 and is back to level after 14. Oosthuizen on tee at 15, after a handy effort by McDowell. Dustin Johnson has smoked his tee shot at 16, he could reach the green from there and give himself a chance of an eagle.

Graeme McDowell is making himself safe, another birdie on 14 gets him to level. Not looking good for Ian Poulter, he's three over after 14 and needs something over the last few holes.

Image source, Reuters

Tiger for double-bogey from about 30 feet on 17... leaves it left, moves out to +3, which means he's currently missing the cut.

McIlroy can only plonk out of that pot bunker on 16, he's going with five wood with his third... he has hit the cover off that, only to find the bunker front-left...

Oosthuizen let a shot go at 13 to drop back to -5. McIlroy on tee at 16, he's going with the big dog... and found a pot bunker. Donald needs this birdie putt at the last and makes it - pump of the fist, a round of 73, +2 overall, should be enough to make the cut. Garcia bends in a birdie at the last for a round of 70 and a share of second on six under, alongside Fowler, who missed a makeable birdie putt for another 69.

Woods was out of bounds right off the tee at 17 and his second effort has gone straight left. It's quite sad to see. Dustin remains -6 after a par at 14, I believe, McIlroy has moved into double figures after a birdie on 15 - four ahead of the pack now.

Leaders: Rory McIlroy -10; Dustin Johnson, Francesco Molinari, Ryan Moore and Rickie Fowler -6

Austin Gayer on Twitter:, external That bee is going to get the sound man soon.....

Indeed Austin, there's been quite a buzz around Hoylake all day and it's been the hottest day of the year in England.

South African Louis Oosthuizen is another name not going away, the 2010 champion well in contention at five under and still out on the course.

Mark Marlow:, external Never count out Oosthuizen, a proven Open champion.

If McIlroy's performance today has been a laser show, Woods looks like the barrel of his gun is bent - another errant drive at 17. Par for Furyk at the last for a round of 71 and five under, four off the lead. Clarke made birdie for another 72 and level overall. Matsuyama playing backwards out of that bunker at 15...

Image source, Getty Images

American Ryan Moore, speaking to BBC Sport after shooting a 68 that gave him a score of six under and a share of second place heading into the weekend:

"I had missed a short putt on seven and sometimes it can derail you or make you lose focus. I was able to make three birdies in a row after missing a short par putt and got rolling from there and made some birdies.

"There was a little more wind today and avoiding bunkers was much more difficult. If you do that you're coming out sideways, it's a one-shot penalty, and I was able to have some nice shots into the greens and was able to convert them.

"I enjoy links golf. It's a lot of fun. I love coming over to embrace the challenge and the last couple of times I've played some solid golf and I hope to keep it going over the weekend this time."

McIlroy on the 153-yard 15th and he's going to have a rip with an eight iron. Cuts it in and stiffs it to within six feet. It's a laser show at the moment. Matsuyama with this slow, lolloping swing of his and that looks plugged.

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Watson's long-range birdie effort at 18 comes up a couple of revolutions short - shame, but he'll be here this weekend after two 73s.

Another birdie putt for Woods on 16 but nothing has dropped for him today, this one leaks right at the last. McIlroy with an iffy putt for par on 14 but he makes it disappear to retain his three-shot lead. Will anyone manage to break out of the pack and reel McIlroy in? it won't be Jim Furyk, who's dropped a shot at 17 to fall back to -5.

Paul Casey, English golf's almost forgotten man, gives himself a chance of a weekend spot with a birdie at 16 - he's two under. Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell is battling manfully, birdies at 10 and 11 got him back to +1 and he's made two pars since.

Selected others: -4: Robert Karlsson (Swe), Hideki Matsuyama (Jap); -3: Adam Scott (Aus), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Charl Schwartzel (SA);-2: Justin Rose (Eng), Stephen Gallacher (Sco), Matteo Manassero (Ita)

-1: Shane Lowry (Ire); Par: Phil Mickelson (US), Jason Dufner (US), Tiger Woods (US); +1: Darren Clarke (NI); +2 Henrik Stenson (Swe); +3 Luke Donald (Eng), Ian Poulter (Eng)

Projected cut: +2

Set to miss cut: Lee Westwood (Eng), Bubba Watson (US), Ernie Els (SA)

Official Open leaderboard, external; Clubhouse scores

McIlroy gets a flyer out of the rough and will have a tricky one coming back across the 14th green. Garcia with an eight-footer for birdie at 17... misses just right, stays five under. News of Old Tom Watson - the five-time champion is two over heading down the 18th and a par should see him around for the weekend.

Leaders: Rory McIlroy -9; Dustin Johnson, Francesco Molinari, Ryan Moore, Louis Oosthuizen and Rickie Fowler -6.

Official Open leaderboard, external; Clubhouse scores

A lot of love for the men at the top of the leaderboard though no-one's any closer to knowing the Sunday champion. Here are some views on Twitter:

Camin McCluskey:, external Reason for Rory's turnaround? Clearly three days practice at Royal County Down.

James Conlon:, external Hoylake really seems to be suiting the best ball strikers with Rory, DJ, Sergio and Molinari all going well.

John McEnerney:, external Said all day that Furyk would do all right. His putting let him down for a time but he's got it going again here! Love the swing!

Schwartzel goes tumbling down the leaderboard after a double on 14, he's down to -3. McIlroy surveys the scene at 14, he's got 164 yards to the pin, over some gorse bushes. Fowler with back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17, he's in that group on six under, three behind McIlroy.

Oosthuizen makes it a five-way tie for second on six under with a long-range birdie on 12. Birdies at 12 and 13 for Jimmy Walker, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, and he's three under. Shot back for Stenson on 15, he gets back to -2. Magnificent bump and run from Garcia at 17, chance for a birdie.

Image source, BBC Sport

Ryan Moore is tied for second place on six under par after a round of 68.

Image source, AP

Fowler with an iffy drive at 17, not so Garcia, who marmalises one down there. Furyk has got this three-footer to stay six under after 17 and he pops it in. David Howell has put a couple of decent rounds together, a 70 today for two under. Manassero in with a 75, he's also two under.

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"The greens are probably quickening up a bit and the players are showing signs of nervousness. The greens are maybe getting bit crusty in the heat and wind."

Garcia stays five under after a par at 16, Fowler drains a short birdie putt to move to -5. Dustin Johnson is a club too big off the tee at 13, here's Tiger with a birdie putt on 15, from about 20 feet... hasn't hit it, stays level. It's all gone wrong for Stenson down the back nine, bogeys at 11, 12, 13 and 14, three over, might not be here this weekend.