Dustin on 14, long old birdie putt and he almost nails it, missing by a couple of inches. World number one Adam Scott will be rueing that double at 10, he's birdied 11, 13, 15 and 16 to get back to five under. Furyk for birdie on 15 but that's an iffy stroke, he stays seven under. McIlroy rams home a birdie from miles out on 14, opens up a two-stroke lead.

This is Ben Dirs. Garcia on tee at the par-three 15th and he's overcooked that, he'll be putting from the apron. Fowler is back left, no easy birdie chances there. Manassero is in with a splendid 68, the young Italian is back to six under for the week.

Image source, Getty Images

And so we have three men - and three big names at that - in the hunt for the Claret Jug. Who is your money on? Over to someone who can nurse you through the drama as Ben Dirs is taking over from me. Thanks for your tweets and messages.

A dropped shot for Rickie Fowler on 14. His putt draws a big "ooohh" from those watching on but it doesn't stay on line and the return is a bogey. So far he has had two on every round.

Schwartzel for birdie on 15...pulls it. David Howell for eagle on 18...pulls it.

Par and birdie for them respectively. Seven under and four under.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Hoylake

"Unless this sky is nippy it's going to miss its chance to play merry hell with this third round. Fairly bright out here, no wind, no rain, and we'll be done and dusted before tea time. Shame for the fans in a way, but just no way of knowing what might have occurred if the leaders had only just gone out. Still, we're getting a terrific tussle between Rory, Rickie and Sergio. And the various Open Arms are doing a roaring trade."

Image source, AP

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell after a 68 left him five under par: "When we started off this morning it was pretty nasty and the front nine didn't really go my way. But thankfully I made some good swings coming down the stretch.

"Now, conditions are about as good out they have been all day - the clouds have cleared a little bit, the wind is negligible, the greens are soft. You could question the two-tee start, but it's not going to make much difference, except that the sun could be out this evening when no-one is playing golf."

Andrew Cotter
BBC Sport commentator

"Finally Dustin Johnson finds his second birdie of the day after he birdied the first. He gets back to seven under."

Johnson rolls home on the 13th and is five off the pace.

Charl Schwartzel is a cat on its ninth life. He was nine under after six holes today and slipped violently back to minus six. The South African hits a scrap-book approach on 14 though and converts from four feet to get back to within five of the lead. Close enough?

Selected others: -5: Darren Clarke (NI), Graeme McDowell (NI), Jimmy Walker (USA), Adam Scott (Aus); -4: Justin Rose (Eng), Stephen Gallacher (Sco); -3: David Howell (Eng), -1: Phil Mickelson (USA); +1: Tiger Woods (USA)

Nick Dougherty
European Tour player on BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, PA

"Rickie Fowler looks about 13 years old now which makes this all the more impressive."

The 25-year-old had his long, surfer-like hair lobbed off a while back, knocking years off his appearance and, at this rate, shots off his game.

Rough. For both leaders off the tee. McIlroy gets a nasty kick off the fringe of the green on 13 and that looks a nasty downhill lie in grass which could hamper his connection with the ball. Fowler meanwhile is one hole further on and his tee shot is way right and in the thick stuff.

Not to worry. These guys are magicians this week.

Well it's not a day to be out and about and some of you have your feet up watching the action at Hoylake unfold while putting your mind to other things.

Paul Renwick on Twitter:, external A Saturday afternoon spent in front of a computer writing a speech has been made bearable by having the golf on in the background.

Jay Townsend
Former European Tour golfer on BBC Radio 5 live

He's kind of treading water today, which is a dangerous position for Rory because Fowler is gaining in momentum with so many birdie holes coming up on the back nine.

And we do have co-leaders. Rory McIlroy turned club golfer for five minutes as he made the rough his home up the flanks of the par four 12th. The long grass didn't tame him too much and a very makeable par putt looks a certainty but lips out.

Tomorrow could be a classic if it stays like this. Two young bucks vying for the Open Championship. Rickie Fowler and McIlroy out ahead on 12 under.

Leaders: -12 McIlroy, Fowler; -9 Garcia; -7 Furyk, Dubuisson, -6 Schwartzel, D Johnson, E Molinari; -5 Clarke, McDowell, Manassero, Leishman, Warren, Walker, Oosthuizen, Karlsson.

Official Open leaderboard, external

Jim Furyk managed 13 holes without a bogey but the 14th comes to bite him. That is the third-hardest hole on the course and Furyk cannot defy the stats - back to seven under.

The players are wearing black ribbons today to pay their respects to Bob Torrance, who died on Friday evening. at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer.

European 2012 Ryder Cup winner Nicolas Colsaerts, external on Twitter: Sad to hear about the loss of Bob Torrance #icon #golfinglegend

McIlroy chips out of the rough into the rough on 12 - we will surely have co-leaders shortly. Matteo Manassero - among the leaders for a while yesterday - picks up birdie on 17 and at five under is tied for 10th. Sergio Garcia takes an eight iron off the tee on 13 and sets up a long birdie putt.