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For Jordan Spieth fans, we have a stat which will only add to your hope...

Where others have had swings in fortune, Jordan Spieth just plods along and his 18th hole is in keeping. Lovely little pitch in low leaves a foot for par. That's a one under round and six under on his book for the week. It's safe to say he is well placed.

Henrik Stenson drops one on the last, his bunker escape left too much to do. The Players' Championship winner Si Woo Kim will miss the cut at six over.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at Royal Birkdale

Padraig Harrington, Open champion here in 2008, will not be playing the weekend. A par on the last leaves him one shot the wrong side of the cut.

Before this year's event kicked off, he explained why so many comparative old timers have won The Open - Henrik Stenson, Zach Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Darren Clarke to name five of the last six.

"Clearly because obviously an Open Championship can be played by a shorter hitter," said Harrington. "As you get older, you get shorter, relative to the field.

"But a guy hitting the right ball flight will hit it further into the wind - 160 miles an hour efficient ball flight is going to go further than 180 miles an hour inefficient. That's why an older guy can compete with the younger guys.

"A lot of the younger guys are physically gifted, but they don't have the experience with links golf. It's a tournament for experience."

Not that experience helped the Irishman this time. Matt Kuchar, 39, might be interested though.

Yes, yes to this glorious day. I know it's a touch cruel and I'm not being a hater but it is at times nice to see a pro golfer play like a club hacker. Step forward Hideki Matsuyama. Now, Hideki is in the trees with a horrible stance. It's his third shot on a par five. Rather than take punishment, he goes down the club hacker route of chasing glory when deep down, he knows he's kippered. The result is a complete duff out of the trees and onto a nearby path. He may well get up an down for par but either way, he made us golfing embarrassments feel good for a moment.

Justin Rose heads to the 18th tee on the back of his fifth bogey of the day.

It was a little different here 19 years ago...

That face says it all. Rose is not impressed. He's soaking wet, missing putts and no doubt looking forward to the warmth of the clubhouse.

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"GET IN THE HOLE", yells one supporter as Henrik Stenson takes aim at the 18th green. If that isn't annoying enough, Henrik only hit the bunker. And, if you're just joining us, the Swede was also burgled while on the course yesterday.

Jordan Spieth is in a safe place just shy of the putting surface and will surely get up and down to end his round and maintain a healthy lead at the halfway stage.

Richard Bland did all the hard to work to get back on track at 14, but he drops a shot a hole later.

There's been some inconsistent putting from the Englishman since the turn, and he skews a 10-footer wide before tapping in for bogey.

Sung-hoon Kang has also dropped back to one under after bogeying the 13th.

Ken Brown
BBC Sport commentator at Royal Birkdale

It has been a connoisseur’s day for golf fans.

Thanks to a day of weather that has produced a bit of everything from winds gusting up to 30-35mph to torrential rain, each player has had to produce a rearguard action and it has been interesting to see the stars craft, nurture and use their brains round the course.

Despite the conditions, I think the course has stood up to it really well.

The star has been Jordan Spieth. He played an almost flawless round of golf and it looks like he will be in pole position going into the weekend.

Firmly back in contention is Rory McIlroy. He really came flying out of the traps, went out in 31 and hardly missed a shot. He showed his real class as he kept his round going in errant conditions. From being 150/1 after six holes yesterday, he was almost favourite after his round had finished.

So many stories from a fascinating second round.

Thomas Pieters has had a bit of a shocker down the back nine, and it all started so promisingly for the Belgian today.

Back-to-back birdies to begin, but two bogeys followed on the front nine and there have been another five since the turn - four of those in the final five holes.

He's not happy after missing a relatively straightforward par putt on the 18th to finish - throwing his putter away in disgust and ripping his cap off for seconds.

I'd love to say Hideki Matsuyama is skipping for joy but he's just puddle dodging.

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Jordan Spieth, black pants, yellow scorecard hanging out of the back pocket. He will not make birdie on the par-five 17th as his putt from off the green is short. Henrik Stenson goes closer but there are no prizes for close in this game.

Birdies make prizes and Hideki Matsuyama is very much in this raffle as he puts away a long snake on 16. Did this young Japanese man celebrate wildly, did he fist pump? Did he heck. Like a poker player sitting on a jackpot, he barely flickered.

Padraig Harrington, winner of the Claret Jug the last time The Open visited Royal Birkdale needs a birdie on the 18th to make the cut.

The Irishman, champion golfer of 2008, has just picked up a shot at the par-five 17th and is six over...

The top 70 plus ties will play the final rounds.

Jordan Spieth lofts his third shot at 17 up towards the green, it finds a bank at the back and threatens to roll back towards the flag before slowing to halt.

He looks puzzled? I think the American expected to find more spin from there. The sodden short grass says otherwise.

Richard Bland pulls one back.

A screaming spectator in a nearby stand loves it.

Bland nods in their direction with a sense of satisfaction and perhaps a hint of embarrassment too - that howl was out of character to the crowds that normally follow the 44-year-old Englishman around.

James, London: Speith is showing no respect whatsoever to Birkdale or the Great British Summer! Making it look easy

Jordan Spieth is a relaxed man. He opens up his umbrella and nearly takes out his caddie, which brings a giggle from both of them.

His tee shot found the rough, but it's a decent lie for the leader and he hacks one down the fairway before it slopes off on to the fringes.

He won't mind that.

Just eight players are under par today. One of them is Tommy Fleetwood.

The local lad has just birdied the 15th and that could be a crucial one. It's got him to five over par. The cut is projected to be five over.

I think he'd take three pars from here.