Image source, PA

McIlroy has had a touch and shows a touch. His woeful tee shot on nine is not as bad as first fearerd by the time a TV truck moves. The chip to the green is solid and the putt is deadly. Par a welcome result and with the easiest hole on the course to come next, this is looking good for the leader.

Dustin Johnson simply cannot muster the same powers of escape and yields bogey, as does Schwartzel after his dance with the sand on 10.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke said on Thursday that conditions were a bit kind, he wanted a test from the elements. The challenge has arrived, to an extent at least, and he has shown why he feels good when the sun hides. A mark of five under for the day through sixteen holes.

Royal Liverpool Golf ‏on Twitter:, external The crowds are getting very vocal in support of the European contingent as Sergio surges and Rory roars

Elsewhere on the course Edoardo Molinari still harbours hope. A long putt on 12 is good and drops to take him to six under. Charl Schwartzel has just rammed one into a greenside bunker on 10 - that will be ugly.

And as Robin tells us of a first rumble of thunder, Rory McIlroy's heart has just delivered a thunuderous beat. He swings on the par three ninth hole and instantly holds his club out - he doesn't like it - and so he shouldn't.

The ball appears to have struck a TV tower and that will be some up and down for the leader. Go on then Dustin Johnson, put some pressure on. He can't. Pushes his tee shot into grass which needs a cut.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Hoylake

Image source, Reuters

"Enjoying a few early shouts of "C'mon Sergio", uttered in broad scouse, a throwback to that sun splashed and beer fuelled weekend in 2006 when the Spaniard was on the march and the locals were in full voice. Quite a following for Rickie Fowler, too, this time around. Dustin Johnson, however, not doing himself too many favours - if there was a Claret Jug for spitting, the bearded American would have both hands on it. Plus, there's a first rumble of thunder in the air."

Rory McIlroy slightly pushes his birdie putt on eight, he stays on 12 under and three clear of an ever-growing chasing pack. Sergio Garcia makes it back-to-back birdies and nine under on the ninth - a stunning second shot did the hard work for him.

Leaders: -12 McIlroy; -9 Garcia, Fowler; -8 Schwartzel; -7 Dubuisson, Furyk, D Johnson; -6 Walker, Karlsson, E Molinari; -5 Clarke, McDowell

Official Open leaderboard, external

BBC Radio 5 live

Clare Balding on BBC Radio 5 Live: There's a big sign at the back of the ninth green that says 'Be prepared, thunderstorm possible.'

Starter Ivor Robson talking to BBC Sport about the two-tee start: "It is unique. Most weeks in the European tour we can have it but it is a new one for me with the Open Championship. I don't know what to do now. The last two days the tee times have been 06.24 BST till just past four. I will watch golf I suppose."

Peter Alliss
BBC Sport commentator

"It's a rather strange day. We are waiting for the end of the world and it's not happening. But the day is getting done, the golf is good and all in all it's exciting."

So a reminder to any of you just getting involved here that Royal Liverpool has operated two tees today, with players going off one and nine. As a result, we have our leaders halfway through their rounds and there is little, if any opportunity to blink.

The reason for the double trouble? The threat of thunderstorms late in the day prompted organisers to get things done swiftly. It is the first time in Open history the format has been in place on day three.

8th (Briars)

Par four, 431 yards

Image source, Getty Images

A blind tee shot over and out-of-bounds hedge some 190 yards directly in front of you. Miss the trouble and you have relatively straight forward approach to a green protected by four bunkers.

2006 difficulty rating: 13

Just three birdies on the eighth so far today as leader Rory McIlroy gets ready to make that four. He has around 15 feet for a three.

Thanks Ben, I've brought my abacus as the challengers are lining up, we have two tees in operation and frankly, my head is spinning...

Dustin on eight... finds a green-side bunker with his approach. World number one Adam Scott made nine straight pars going out but it's all gone horribly wrong at 10, where he's made double bogey. That's him out of the reckoning. Garcia has pulled out another plum on the ninth, he's stiffed his tee shot to five or six feet. Fowler misses just right... here's Luke Reddy for a bit...

Image source, The Open

Selected others: -6: Jimmy Walker (US), Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Robert Karlsson (Swe); -5: Darren Clarke (NI), Ediardo Molinari; -3: Shane Lowry (Ire), Justin Rose (Eng);

-1: Adam Scott (Aus), Jordan Spieth (US), Phil Mickelson; Par: Tiger Woods (US), Luke Donald (Eng)

McIlroy on eight, going with iron, and that's position A. Darren Clarke is tearing Hoylake a new hole - another birdie at five, he's five under today and for the tournament. Garcia taps in for birdie, the Spaniard moves to eight under and four off the lead.

Image source, PA

Things have just taken a turn for the worse for the oldest player left in the field, Tom Watson. The five-time Open champion, 64, takes a seven on the par-five 16, followed by a bogey on 17. Watson is four over through eight, having started his round on the 10th hole.

Dustin makes par at seven, stays nine under. Garcia with an absolute peach at eight, leaves himself a few inches for birdie and eight under. Great saver from McIlroy, really ballsy par effort from about 15 feet, he stays -12 and three ahead of the field. Another one gone for Molinari...

Leaders: -12 McIlroy; -9 Fowler; -8 D Johnson, Schwartzel; -7 Dubuisson, Furyk, Garcia; -6 Walker, Karlsson, Oosthuizen.

Official Open leaderboard, external

Image source, PA

World number one Adam Scott came into the Open highly fancied to make an impression this week but he is struggling to make a move up the leaderboard today. The Australian is level for the day through nine and remains on three under. He needs to make something happen on the back nine if he is to get himself in a position to challenge on the final day.

Image source, Getty Images

Defending champion Phil Mickelson and 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose are also struggling to make a charge, both one under for the day. Mickelson has made four birdies but three bogeys leave him on one under through 15, while Rose three under through 10, one under for the day.