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

"When Rory first turned pro he set his stall out by saying he wanted to win majors. I think this week he's proved he's a true champion in every sense."

-17 McIlroy (NI); -14 Garcia (Spa), Fowler (US); -13 Furyk (US); -12 Leishman (Aus), D Johnson (US); -11 Scott (Aus), Schwartzel (SA).

McIlroy playing safe off the tee at 17, and why on earth not. Punches it down the middle, as easy as shelling peas...

Fowler drains his birdie putt at 16 to join Garcia on 14 under. Scott bumps his chip to within a couple of feet, he's got that for a 66. Dustin with his second at 17 and it's from the frying pan and into the fire... Garcia with 218 yards into the breeze, right at the pin, just runs out of puff but still some shot.

Image source, Reuters

Many of you not happy with or impressed by crowd heckling. Fired Rory McIlroy up though, hit his drive at the 16th 357 yards.

Julian Mellor:, external Not nice to see the crowd being disrespectful at the Open, not in the spirit of the game.

Brian Carroll:, external Crowd trouble at the Open. Embarrassing and people need to remember it is a sport for gentlemen.

Carl Longhawn:, external Crowd behaviour at the Open today has been poor in places, too much abuse from patrons to players.

Scott and Manassero stroll to the 18th like conquering heroes, but it's been contrasting days. World number one Scott is five under today, young Italian Manassero is one over. Back to McIlroy on 16, very nearly holing his eagle putt and popping in for birdie to increase his lead to three with two holes to go.

Leaders: -17 McIlroy (NI); -14 Garcia (Spa), Fowler (US); -13 Furyk (US); -12 Leishman (Aus), D Johnson (US); -11 Scott (Aus), Schwartzel (SA).

Furyk makes that six-footer for a rare 65 and the former US Open champion is the clubhouse leader on 13 under. Sorry about that, Garcia birdied 16 to get back to -14 and two off the lead. Johnson, too, has come alive down the back nine, birdies at 15 and 16 to get to -12. But here he is with a stinker of a drive down 17, rattling one off a grandstand miles right. Garcia drills one down there with a three wood, doing his best to hang onto second.

Image source, Getty Images

Furyk almost holes an escape at 18 and I believe he has that for a 65. Forget what I said about Garcia going after a heckler, it was just a call of nature after all. Sorry. Here he is, putting from range for a bogey on the 16th, but it doesn't come back for him. Still makes a birdie and he moves to within two of McIlroy, with two to play.

Leaders: -16 McIlroy (NI); -14 Garcia (Spa); -13 Fowler (US); -12 Leishman (Aus), Furyk (US); -11 Scott (Aus), D Johnson (US), Schwartzel (SA).

Fowler on tee at 16, that's OK, we think. Rory winding one up... you can't get much better than that, strong and very, very long. Bit of drama, though, as Rory points out a mouthy fan with his driver and the man in question is led away, somewhat reluctantly, by stewards. Bizarrely, Garcia has apparently gone to speak to a heckler up on the 16th green - although he might have just gone to the toilet. I'll try to clear that up...

Scott for a bird on 17, misses by a whisker and stays 11 under and tied for sixth. Garcia with 244 yards to the flag at 16, six iron... peach, he's got a 25-footer for eagle. It's not quite over just yet. Johnson's tee shot was 34 yards ahead of Garcia's, and the Spaniard looked like his shoulders were going to separate from his body when he hit his. Johnson's second shot is pretty ordinary, however...

Not a great day for 2011 champion Darren Clarke, he's two over through 17, one of the few players not to be par or better today. Schwartzel with a monster for eagle on 18, shaves the hole left, but that's a five-under 67 and 11 under overall.

Justin Rose in with a 72 for five under, England waits another year for an Open champion. Dustin Johnson has mullered his drive down the 16th, that's an almighty larrup. Garcia taking no prisoners either, that's enormous, but he's still about 50 yards behind Johnson. Fowler birdies 15 to join Garcia on -13, McIlroy has got a 12-footer for birdie on the same hole... not enough borrow, but it's a safe par.

Leaders: -16 McIlroy (NI); -13 Garcia (Spa), Fowler (US); -12 Leishman (Aus), Furyk (US); -11 Scott (Aus), D Johnson (US).

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

Image source, Reuters

"Has that ended Sergio Garcia's challenge? That was pretty much inexcusable. Very, very poor shot. The ball was on an upslope and he should have made a better fist of it."

David Leadbetter
Leading golf coach on BBC Radio 5 live

"That's a real momentum breaker. I would have expected Sergio to get up and down from there."

Johnson made another birdie, moves to -11. Adam Scott joins him with a birdie on 16, McDowell is in with a 67 after an eagle at the last.

Guess what? Sergio has left his escape in the bunker at 15. That could be that. McIlroy is watching back down the fairway, that'll make this next shot that much easier. Garcia pulls out a beauty with his next shot, but it's a tap-in for bogey and he's back to -13 and three off the lead.

Fowler stays 12 under after a fine saver at 14, four behind McIlroy...

Garcia on tee at the par-three 15th, needs to get something out of this. Once again he steps away from his ball after addressing it... steps back in, waggles several times, plonks it in a green-side pot... McIlroy putting from long range for birdie at 15, leaves it a few inches left, stays two ahead...

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"I think Rory can smell it a little bit now. He knows it is going to be hard but only five holes."

McIlroy, too, comes up short with his second at 14 but he will certainly make par from there. Schwartzel has birdied 15 and 16, the South African is 10 under and in a share of sixth. Furyk birdies 16 to get to 12 under, joins Leishman as the clubhouse leader.

Image source, AP