Frank Nobilo
Former European Tour golfer and BBC Sport analyst

Image source, Reuters

"It was a scratchy start by Rory that seemed to set the tone for his front nine. This was maybe down to the fact that everybody was expecting a weather delay and we didn't have one, so energy levels seemed down a touch.

"But now it looks like he is making a real shove for home. When Fowler drew level at 12 things could have gone either way, but he then bogeyed 14 while Rory birdied it and momentum has swung. These last holes are going to be pivotal - Rory's finishing is very good and he could open up a big lead here."

Fowler with his second into the 17th and he's tugged it left. Garcia went slightly long. Furyk's birdie putt at 18 slips by and he's in with a 71 for six under par. Back on 17, McIlroy has found the fairway with his tee shot. Are we at the 'it's his to lose' stage yet?

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Tom Morris senior's 13-stroke 1862 Open win at St Andrews is still the biggest margin of victory in the history of the tournament. His son, also called Tom Morris, achieved the next two biggest victories, winning by 12 shots in 1870 and by 11 in 1869.

The biggest win in the modern era was Tiger Woods's eight-stroke triumph in 2005 at St Andrews. Is McIlroy on his way to a bit of history?

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"Rory McIlroy was tied with Fowler for the lead a few holes ago but suddenly he has a five-shot lead. It's an amazing turnaround."

Do excuse me, I was all at sea for a moment, distracted by the trials of Woods over on seven. That shot I saw a glimpse of was McIlroy playing his second into the long 16th and our glorious leader has made his lead even more glorious by curling in a long-range eagle putt. That's only the third eagle at the 16th this week and the Northern Irishman now has a five-shot lead over Fowler and Garcia.

Leaders: -15 McIlroy; -10 Fowler, Garcia; -8 D Johnson, Dubuisson; 7 E Molinari, Schwartzel; -6 Manassero, Scott, Furyk; -5 Clarke, McDowell, Rose, Leishman, Warren, Walker, Karlsson.

Official Open leaderboard, external

McIlroy with another peach of a tee shot at the short 16th, here's Jim Furyk with one of the shots of the day, hacking out of a green-side bunker at 18. Shots gone for Oosthuizen at 14 and 16, his race is well and truly run...

Bernard Gallacher
Three-time European Ryder Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live

That's bad. You don't win major championships by making a six on a hole where you should get a four.

A costly bogey for Rickie Fowler at the 16th possibly?

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Here's Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy doing battle in the Walker Cup in 2007. In case you were unaware, comedy Tam o' Shanters are required in the biennial event.

Fowler lets another one go on 16, McIlroy has got a three-shot lead with a birdie putt coming up. Garcia could do with this going in... lovely weight and pace, the Spaniard gets to 10 under alongside playing partner Fowler.

Leaders: -13 McIlroy; -10 Fowler, Garcia; -8 D Johnson, Dubuisson; 7 E Molinari, Schwartzel; -6 Manassero, Scott, Furyk; -5 Clarke, McDowell, Rose, Leishman, Warren, Walker, Karlsson.

Official Open leaderboard, external

Furyk tugs his par putt left at 17, falls to six under and seven off the lead. Garcia chipping on at 16 and he's left himself a seven-footer for birdie. Tiger has got his head in a bush down the seventh, there are about six or seven looking for his ball. He's currently one under through 15, not for much longer...

Defending champion Phil Mickelson believes he missed a good opportunity after finishing his round one under for the day and the championship.

"We had beautiful scoring conditions, first group off," he said. "If we could have shot seven, eight, nine under par - it probably was out there.

"It was as easy as I've seen the course play. We could have made some noise. It could have been a lot lower, and I let a lot of shots slide."

Peter Alliss
BBC Sport commentator

"What a lovely way to finish for Dubuisson. He in our Ryder Cup team and we need him."

Fowler with his third at 16 after splashing out and he's pushed it right, he'll do well to get up and down from there. Two shots gone for Robert Karlsson at 14 and 16, he falls to -5. Garcia with his second at 16 and that's not bad at all out of the rough, could make birdie. Dubuisson bends in a birdie on 18, the French Ryder Cup shoo-in is in with a round of 68 for eight under overall.

Jordan Spieth, who rather destroyed his chances yesterday, is putting together a beast of a round today, the 20-year-old American is five under through 14. Dustin bends in a birdie at 15 and is back to -8. Two par-fives to come, he'll fancy nicking a couple more.

Leaders: -13 McIlroy; -11 Fowler; -9 Garcia; -8 D Johnson; 7 E Molinari, Furyk, Dubuisson, Schwartzel; -6 Manassero; -5 Clarke, McDowell, Rose, Scott, Leishman, Warren, Walker, Karlsson.

Official Open leaderboard, external

Garcia cocks the hammer and throttles one down the long 16th. Fowler finds sand off the tee before cracking open a sanger, which sends Peter Alliss into rapturous reminiscences about the relative privations of golfers of the past. McIlroy just misses with that long birdie attempt at 15 but pops in for par.

Bernard Gallacher
Three-time European Ryder Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live

"Sergio Garcia really needs to finish these holes off after all these good iron shots. We've been saying that for years now about Sergio."

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Who says Americans don't like links golf? Rickie Fowler has carded a remarkable 27 birdies in his last 68 holes of golf in Britain, including a staggering 10 in the final round of the Scottish Open, seven so far today through 14 holes and five in each of his first two rounds at the Open.

Edoardo Molinari in with a 68, he's seven under and tied for fourth. Fowler makes par at the short 15th, stays -11, Garcia makes a fine saver to stay nine under. McIlroy on tee at 15... nothing wrong with that, left himself a 20-footer for birdie. Dubuisson from some muck on 18, he hit his tee shot 400 yards and is on in two.

Peter Alliss
BBC Sport commentator

"It is a ridiculous game sometimes. Rory has a couple of birdies, a bit of a struggle and then out of the blue he pops one from 14 yards. Ricky Fowler takes five and it is worth a smile. Well done Rory."