Francesco Molinari with a nine-footer for par at the last and he drains it for a 70 and six under overall. Things got rocky around the turn but he did well to recover his poise down the stretch.

Image source, Getty Images

Darren Clarke was making very serene progress down the front but it's gone rather sour over the last hour or so - bogeys at 12, 15 and 16, he's back to +1. Still looking for Schwartzel's ball, now he knows how we feel...

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Hoylake

"Wandering along in the company of David Leadbetter, Nick Faldo's old coach, who is following Tiger Woods for BBC Radio 5 live. 'Lead' tells me the Woods swing seems OK when he is hitting within himself, from seven iron up or when he is just playing an iron off the tee, but says its when he takes a thrash that things go wrong. And not just because of his back.

"'People have been saying for years he should adopt Sam Snead's mantra and swing at 85%. It's not like at home or playing with your mates, this is different, this is a major, there is pressure.' One word to describe him? 'Scrappy, rusty,' says Leadbetter. That's two, but he knows about golf swings."

Three South Africans four off the lead - Coetzee, Schwartzel and Oosthuizen - as McIlroy makes a solid par on 12 to stay nine under. Did I mention Schwartzel was going well? He's lost his ball off the tee at 14, where he made bogey yesterday.

Image source, Getty Images

English amateur Ashley Chesters speaking to BBC Sport after finishing three over par for his two rounds and now facing a wait to see if he makes the cut.

He said: "I got about as much out of it as I could. The front nine wasn't good at all. It was windy and I was getting it by the green and not getting it up and down. I did miss quite a lot of putts.

"I was more laidback today. Even on the first tee I was nowhere near as nervous as yesterday. I just couldn't hole the putts.

"I've just got to wait and see what happens. The wind has died down. It will be close, hopefully I'll do it. I won't watch, it's horrendous watching because one minute you think you're in and the next you're out, so I'll just wait until the end to see."

Here's Francesco, whipping an iron into the 18th - bunker. Furyk pours in a long-ranger for birdie on 16, grabs a share of second. Dustin Johnson has birdied 10 and 11 and is also in that four-way tie on six under. Snick Faldo is out in 37, he's +6 and unlikely to be here this weekend. Ryan Moore stiffs one to within a foot at 18 and will pop that in for 68 and six under overall - three behind our leader McIlroy.

John Murray
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"I reckon Tiger's been in long grass of some description eight times today. His game looks rusty."

The American is three over for the day, level par in total, nine shots behind Rory McIlroy.

Thomas Bjorn is going nowhere, the Dane has birdied 16 and is three under. Matsuyama blows a shot at 12, drops to -4. Not looking too clever for two-time winner Padraig Harrington, the Irishman is five over after 12 and two above the projected cut.

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"They've stopped holing putts. McIlroy is making a few pars now and no-one else is doing a huge amount."

Many thanks Luke, this is Ben Dirs to take you through to the close of play. I join you as Garcia is putting for birdie on 15... left-to-righter, doesn't hit it. Fowler is slightly closer but he leaves his effort right of the cup. Two Scots at two under, Stephen Gallacher, after nine, and Marc Warren, after six. McIlroy shaves the hole with his birdie putt at 11, stays nine under. Birdie for former champion Oosthuizen on 10, he moves to four off the lead.

Luke Donald always threatens to excite us. His tee shot on 15 is delicious. Straight over the pin and within eight feet. All of this off the back of a monster bogey putt on 14. It's a shame he is two over. All feels a bit futile. The cut threatens.

Image source, Getty Images

Edoardo Molinari speaking to BBC Sport after carding a round of 73 to leave him three under par going into the weekend: "I had a few issues with my left hand arm and wrist over the last couple of years but it's going nicely now and hopefully I can keep going.

"I'm happy [brother Francesco] is playing well and hopefully we can both have two more good rounds and finish high on the leaderboard."

Ashley Chesters cannot make his final putt on 18 and will have a nervous wait to see if he stays for the weekend. The amateur is three over and could well make the cut.

He deserves some credit. Six bogeys on the front nine sullied his card today but he dug deep and who knows? I wouldn't check out of the hotel just yet Ashley.

Image source, BBC Sport

Selected others: -4: Louis Oosthuizen (SA),Robert Karlsson (Swe), Ryan Moore US); -3: Adam Scott (Aus), Charl Schwartzel (SA), Stephen Gallacher (Sco), Edoardo Molinari (Ita) -2: Justin Rose (Eng)

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

A mention to Brooks Koepka for a clinical collapse. The American was five under through six holes today and ends plus one.

Six bogeys and a triple from that point. Heartbreaking.

English amateur Ashley Chesters faces a pressure putt. The 24-year-old has a birdie opportunity on 18 and on three over, currently needs to sink it to make the cut.

It is a long one and even though the cut mark may move higher than plus two, huge applause from the galleries and undoubted relief awaits if he can summon a big one here.

What is going on Sergio Garcia? He is putting waterproofs on to protect himself from brambles as he clips his ball out from a gorse. It's a nice touch but he will have work to do to make par on 14. Rickie Fowler, silent in the last hour or so plays a beauty into the heart of the green and will have 15 feet for birdie and five under.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Hoylake

"Bet you after his round Tiger Woods says the wind was 'dancing all over the place'. The American seems to be having a hard time getting a handle on it, throwing up so much grass Royal Liverpool could retire one of their mowers. That's not the only problem. More than once around the turn he's taken himself off to the side for a quiet word after another errant shot. 'Grinding' is another word he'll use a lot later."

Image source, Reuters

American Chris Kirk tweets:, external Happy to have survived the bad end of the draw in my first British. Hopefully a few more putts will drop for me this weekend.

Kirk is one over par going into day three.

Francesco Molinari with a birdie putt on 16 to move within two of the lead...it's long, breaks right to left, well judged...no.

Just off line from the Italian. Two under for the day, he should be in second place on his own shortly because Sergio Garcia has hooked his tee shot clinically into the bushes on 14.