Interestingly, the scoring out front is so heavy that these guys are quickly taking it away from the crowd who flew from the traps earlier in the day.

Neither Brian Harman or Paul Casey take advantage of the short second hole and pars are all they have to show. Rickie Fowler is up ahead on the third green and he has a tester to stay at seven under. Maybe eight feet... well holed.

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Tommy Fleetwood continues his fine start, finding yet another fairway.

That bogey at three looks to have shaken Brooks Koepka though, the American firing his tee shot on four off right and into the long grass.

That rescue from the fescue pays dividends for Justin Thomas as he drills a birdie on 12 to move back to seven under.

Tommy Fleetwood to join Hoffman? Ah no, nicely paced but the putt slides left at the last moment and he has to take the par.

That's better than his partner Brooks Koepka can manage though, getting his par putt all wrong and slipping back to seven under.

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Charley Hoffman just lingers around the lead does he not? Major after major he's in the mix over recent times. The Hoff was in the frame at Augusta you may recall.

Up on eight he has around 10ft for the fifth birdie of his day. This putt is never anywhere but in. The new leader is the man who lives in Las Vegas. This round is so good his name should be up in lights.

A rare occurrence today - Patrick Reed has to settle for par on 17. Can he pick up another shot on the par-five last to cap an excellent round?

Justin Thomas in trouble in the long grass on 12...but he's pulled out another terrific shot to reach the green and salvage the situation.

Lovely, calm golf from Tommy Fleetwood, finding the green on the third to continue his solid start.

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We've not heard much from Sergio Garcia of late and that's because after a bogey and birdie in the first two holes, the Masters champion has made seven straight pars.

He'll need a big charge on the back nine, this one looks like it's already going away from him.

It has been noted that Brian Harman (right) is a bit of a Ricky Ponting lookalike. What do you think?

We wondered, are you a golfing lookalike? Send us an image if so. We are on #bbcgolf.

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Louis Oosthuizen will be kicking himself for making that double bogey on 17. Talk about a momentum killer. He makes par at the last and ends the day on four under thanks to a round of 66.

Rickie Fowler makes par on three, his birdie putt from the fringe lacked guts. And on the second, where a birdie is almost a must, Paul Casey is in the thick rough.

Brooks Koepka has the chance to seize the outright lead but that birdie chance does indeed prove too tough for him.

Can Tommy Fleetwood fare better? No, the Englishman is forced to settle for par too.

(All US unless stated)

-8 Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), B Koepka, C Hoffman, P Reed, B Harman,P Casey (Eng)

-7 R Fowler

-6 J Thomas, M Leishman (Aus). H Matsuyama, S W Kim (Kor), J Lovemark

-5 S Scheffler (a), B Haas, B Snedeker, X Schauffele, JB Holmes, B Steele

-4 L Oosthuizen (SA), E Pepperell, Z Johnson, T Mullinax, A Johnston

Selected others: -3, A Johnston (Eng), S Garcia (Spa), +1, Bernd Wiseberger (Aut),, Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), E, M Laird (Sco), A Hadwin (Can), +3, L Westwood, +4, E Els (SA)

(a) Amateur

View the full leaderboard here.

There are so many gathering at or around the lead now that it's getting silly. Brian Harman lampoons one from the fairway on one to reach the green in two and he will have an outside look at eagle.

Up on the seventh Charley Hoffman plays a super putt into the heart of the cup, judging the break well to share the lead.

Back to one... Paul Casey with a dinked chip to within a foot. That will be birdie and he too will reach eight under. Harman now for eagle, some 25ft... it's in.... no. Kisses the cup and stays up. Birdie.

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Little checked second shot from Fleetwood on two to leave himself a tough birdie chance.

Brooks Koepka follows and can't quite get the ball to kick on towards the hole.

Patrick Reed is a birdie machine today - he's just banged in his eighth from a fair ol' distance to move into a share of the lead on eight under.

That's three straight birdies too. Shame about that bogey on five or he could've been on course for a 62.

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With the lead bunching up, there is a premium on these birdie putts and Rickie Fowler gives one away. He could not have placed his ball better on the second green, just a few feet and uphill. But a weak stroke sees his ball slip away. Par only.

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His playing partner Jamie Lovemark has made no dent on the scoring yet with two pars on these very kind opening holes.

Yep, no mistake from Koepka as he steps up and sends his birdie putt dead centre.

So a two-way tie for the lead. Many, many more players in touching distance.

And we have an outright leader - England's Tommy Fleetwood drills his birdie chance at the first to move to eight under.

Can Brooks Koepka join him?