McIlroy leads by six shots on -16 after a round of 68
Fowler -10; Garcia -9; D Johnson, Dubuisson -8; E Molinari -7
Manassero, Scott, Karlsson, Furyk, Schwartzel -6
Selected: Clarke, McDowell, Warren, Rose -5; Mickelson -1; Woods +3
A two-tee start for first time in Open history because of the weather
The new-look Darren Clarke bends in his fourth birdie in a row at two, he's now four under and will be beginning to think unthinkable things. Shane Lowry of Ireland went out in 31, which is the lowest so far this week. Dubuisson for a birdie at seven... AND ANOTHER! The Frenchman is now seven under.
Leaders: -11 McIlroy; -9 D Johnson; -8 Schwartzel, Fowler; -7 Furyk, Walker, Dubuisson; -6; Garcia, Warren, Karlsson.
Wales's Jamie Donaldson is the only player of the nine currently in an automatic qualifying position for Europe's Ryder Cup in Gleneagles in September who missed the cut at Hoylake. Ian Poulter missed the chance to make up valuable points and could be relying on being a captain's pick - surely shouldn't be a problem given his track record.
The American team aren't in bad form either, with eight of their current qualifiers also playing at the weekend. Only points leader Bubba Watson has missed out.
Dubuisson is in a raging fit of form at the moment, here he is parachuting in at seven, another birdie chance. McIlroy makes par at four, stays two clear of the field. Schwartzel fires in a longun on five, moves into a share for third with Fowler on eight under.
Sweden's Karlsson pours one in from four feet at five to move to -6, Manassero let one go at seven to drop to three under. We have some rain at Hoylake now, the brollies are up. Johnson with a long-range birdie attempt at four, which has yielded a fair few shots today, but he leaves it just right and stays nine under.
Another birdie for Dubuisson of France at six, he's now six under and five off the lead. Scotland's Marc Warren is also six under after another birdie at five, while Fowler and Garcia missed makeable birdie putts on four...
McIlroy with an uphill birdie chance at three, leaves it left, Dustin makes solid par to stay two back. A five-five-five start for Francesco, and he's now two behind brother Edoardo on three under. Francesco leans on his putter and wears the expression of a man who has just opened his takeaway and discovered they forgot to deliver his mutton vindaloo and delivered chicken korma instead. Clarke with his third birdie in a row at the first, moves to -3.
Leaders: -11 McIlroy; -9 D Johnson; -8 Fowler; -7 Furyk, Walker, Schwartzel; -6; Garcia, Warren, Dubuisson
Jot Hughes:, external Having the start on two tees is sensible; it's nothing to do with handling rain, wind etc. It's lightning that's the issue.
Edward Corlett:, external Same course. Same holes. Slighty different order for some. Makes sense to me and probably helpful to spectators too?
Image source, PAWhat a season it has been for Oklahoma's Jimmy Walker. The 35-year-old won his maiden PGA Tour event at the 2013 Frys.com Open, after nine years and 188 PGA Tour starts. He followed that up with wins at the Sony Open in Hawaii and the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He leads the FedExCup, a championship trophy for the PGA Tour standings, this year and finished eighth and ninth in the 2014 Masters and US Open respectively.
Walker is three under through five and is seven under for the championship.
Adam Scott, the world number one, has strung together five straight pars but that's not enough, he's rather treading water on three under as others thrash away into the distance. Fowler has a makeable birdie chance to get to within two of McIlroy, the back of Rory's neck will be getting hot as hell...
Ken Brown
BBC Sport commentator
"We are having a temporary lull from the weather and two things have really lifted the players - the lack of wind and the fact that the course has seriously softened up since yesterday afternoon.
"The iron shots are coming down much more softly and the greens are perfect, sometimes a bit of moisture actually makes them better. For a pro golfer this is absolutely ideal conditions for scoring and they couldn't have had it any better. But as for what this afternoon brings, who knows… "
McIlroy into the heart of the third green but Francesco his having a bit of a nightmare, he tugs his approach left. Dustin comes up short, plenty of work to do. Tiger's birdie attempt at 12 stays a shade left, he remains level. Frenchman Dubuisson pours in a birdie on five and gets to five under, former Masters champion Schwartzel birdies four to get to -7.
Jimmy Walker, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, moves to -7 with a long-range birdie putt at five. Birdies for 2011 champion Darren Clarke at 17 and 18, he heads down the front nine two under.
Leaders: -11 McIlroy; -9 D Johnson; -8 Fowler; -7 Furyk, Walker; -6 Schwartzel, Garcia
Image source, PAFowler's birdie putt at three stays a couple of inches left of the cup, he stays eight under. Garcia reads the line but his effort lips out, the Spaniard stays in a tie for fifth. McIlroy is safely away at three, over on 12 Woods gives himself another birdie chance with a lovely wedge in...
The Notorious BJP:, external Part of playing the Open is dealing with the elements. Hail, wind, rain. 2 tee starts is sanitisation. Rory has had it all his way.
We are asking you what you think of the use of two tees in round three. In an attempt to get players through the course swiftly, they will be teeing off on one and 10.
Furyk for birdie on four, makes it, the former US Open champion is now seven under. Dustin Johnson remains nine under after a par at two, McIlroy makes a fine saver from eight feet to retain his two-shot lead. But it's another one gone for Francesco, the Italian drops to four under.
Image source, PAByeong-Hun An is the best scorer of the day, with four birdies from six holes taking the 22-year-old to five under. This is a first major as a professional for the 22-year-old, who became the youngest player to win the US Amateur Championship in 2009 and came through qualifying at Sunningdale to enter this year's Open.
Tiger for back-to-back birdies over on 11... makes it from 15 feet, back to level par. Rose lets a shot go on six, drops to three under. Garcia with 196 yards into the third... that's a cutie, another birdie chance. Fowler with 184 yards, almost as good...
Image source, The OpenSelected others: -5: Francesco Molinari (Ita), Ryan Moore (US), Robert Karlsson (Swe), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Shane Lowry (Ire), Byeong-Hun An (Kor); -4: Justin Rose (Eng), Louis Oosthuizen (SA); -3: Adam Scott (Aus), David Howell (Eng), Stephen Gallagher;
Par: Tiger Woods (US); +1: Jordan Spieth (US), Phil Mickelson (US), Tom Watson (US).
Swindon's David Howell is three under after birds at four and five, Sweden's Robert Karlsson moves into a tie for eighth on five under after a birdie at three. I think most of us can sympathise with Molinari at the moment - he's being outbombed by Dustin and Rory off the tee while permanently seeming to be 50 yards behind, mucking about in the rough. Scotland's Marc Warren with a crackerjack approach at four, he should get back to five under.
Image source, The OpenThe Open on Twitter:, external The European Tour's Mike Stewart came back from holiday to be the 10th tee starter in the rain today. Thanks Mike!