On the 18th tee is this man. Mark O'Meara is about to walk up his last ever hole in an Open championship. The 1998 winner, at Royal Birkdale, can look back on his glory with a smile and probably a tear.

O'Meara beat compatriot Brian Watts in a play-off to lift the Claret Jug but notably, the pair edged Tiger Woods into third.

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It's seriously bleak looking down the 12th as Ian Poulter strolls up to the tee.

But he sends one soaring through the grey sky and on to the green, another birdie chance for the Englishman.

Can he take this one? There's a decent crowd following Poulter now and they share a collective hold of breath as he rolls it towards the hole from around 15 feet... and down it goes!

Nothing bleak about that. The Poulter support club cheers. The man himself salutes. He's in the mix. Tied third, one off the lead.

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Brooks Koepka has a birdie putt on four which would give him the lead, it's very much there for him here but he goes too big on the break. Good old Brooks thought that ball would break left-to-right by a foot but it didn't move all that much. Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson missed long birdie rolls on five and continue onto six by mullering their drives up the middle.

Open champion Henrik Stenson is doing fine out on the course, which is remarkable considering he's had a load of clobber nicked while he's been playing.

Here's a statement from the Swede: “When I finished my round on Thursday I was informed that the house where I am staying had been burgled. It is obviously very special for me to be playing here in front of the fantastic Birkdale crowds as the defending Open Champion so I am going to try not to let this spoil the week in any way.

“I am extremely grateful that my family were not in the house at the time.

“As many of you know the Claret Jug was returned to The R&A on Monday but unfortunately, along with some valuable personal items, they have taken all of my clothing for the week.”

The Thomas, Rose, Oosthuizen trio are having a shocking start to day two.

Four holes in, and they've all dropped at least two shots already. Justin Thomas has dropped three.

Louis Oosthuizen, mind, hardly had the best of it yesterday. He carded an eight-over 78, and is now out at 10 over.

Hampshire's finest Richard Bland is off to a flyer. Nothing Bland about that birdie on two for the 44-year-old.

I'm here all week.

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Simon Finch: Mate tops ball in nearby water hazard, throwing club in after it, I enquire if he is going to throw a provisional club - not amused.

Ollie Smith AV: Got annoyed on a charity golf day. Happy Gilmore'd one - ball went flying down the middle, followed closely by my driver.

In light of Sergio Garcia lashing out and injuring himself earlier, we want to know about your golf course meltdowns.

Twenty-footer for Ian Poulter to make his first birdie of the day... the Woburn pro stands over it, sends it on its way, but he knows that's never dropping.

It's not the simplest of par putts, either. He leans on his putter waiting for Alex Noren to play.

Now it's the Englishman's turn. He's in confident mood and that is confidently dispatched for another par.

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My word, just as it looked like Jordan Spieth would lead with Brooks Koepka in big trouble, the fortunes swing. Koepka plays a simply stunning pitch shot from the deep rough to the left of the green on four. He has just four feet left and converts a par. That's a silly escape, just silly.

Spieth meanwhile is wayward off the tee on five. The dog leg just doesn't register for him and he goes too far off the tee. If Koepka goes on to win, that will be a key save.

Ian Poulter finds the middle of the 11th fairway. He's looking good today. An absolute par-machine at the moment.

He coaxes his approach up towards the flag and it finds the heart of the green. A birdie opportunity?

That'll sit pretty nicely with the Englishman, who is tied for fourth and two shots off the lead.

The fourth hole becomes Jordan Spieth's amphitheater briefly as he takes his read of a 10ft birdie putt... not quite. Still, a par is a par. His playing partner Si Woo Kim cards a six on the par three. That's four holes and four drops for the Players' Championship winner.

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I can't write or say the name of Brooks Koepka without thinking of a certain hit film.

You know the one, fiction's most romantic jail break, featuring Andy Dufresne, Brooks and of course the wonderful Morgan Freeman as Red.

Koepka may well carve his own 'Brooks was here' mark into some seating somewhere on the third hole as he has just blasted one into the middle of nowhere. This could be ugly on the card...

I've put the buffers on Thomas Pieters.

Having called the Belgian on his promising start to day two, he can't salvage par on the fourth and drops back to two under.

Justin Rose has suffered similar putting woe on the third. The Olympic champion leaves himself with a lot of work on to make par and it inevitably proves too much. A second bogey of the day.

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Jordan Spieth on the fourth tee, 199 yards. Bounces twice and rolls to within 10 feet. Henrik Stenson goes right and gets a massive kick off a bank, leaving him around 40ft or so from the yellow, fluttery flag.

Brooks Koepka wants to bite down on his towel and scream with anger after leaving his birdie putt a fraction short on three.

One of the finest rounds out there belongs to Soren Kjeldsen and he digs in for a big par save on 12, judging the left-to-right break sweetly from 12ft.

After Sergio Garcia injured his shoulder by whacking a bush with his club, we ask when have you lost it on a golf course?

Graham Hodgkin: Mate 'lost it' so badly on course in Spain he stripped naked & waded into lake on 16th. His ball not even in there!

Dan, Portsmouth: After duffing an easy chip towards the green, petulantly threw the pitching wedge in the direction of a water hazard.... the lake was frozen. Gingerly retrieved my club.

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Ian Poulter is in some light rough on the approach to the 10th green.

He lofts one flag-wards with a "go on" to help it on its way. He looks happy enough with that. Its perched up maybe 18 feet from the pin for a birdie chance.

That doesn't quite have the legs, but Poults should tap in for an easy par from there.

Diane Knox
BBC Radio 5 live reporter

Amateur Alfie Plant has a huge following with him this week. Friends and family from the 25-year-old's home town of Bexleyheath have descended upon Southport to cheer on their hero.

The majority of the supporters are wearing white T-shirts emblazoned with 'Team Alfie'. But one supporter in particular is wearing some very interesting attire today.

The young man left his trainers in his friend's house and, with no other footwear available, he was forced to wear socks and flip flops to Royal Birkdale. And he plans to follow Alfie's 18 holes. That's dedication.

With the rain just around the corner, let's hope he manages to stay afoot. Or goes barefoot.

He has had three bogeys in his opening five holes today and is dicing with the projected cut mark.

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Thomas Pieters continues his strong start to Friday's play with a well-made par at the fourth.

The Belgian is quietly and confidently going about his business as the wind picks up and the drizzle begins at Royal Birkdale.

Iain Carter
BBC Sport golf correspondent at Royal Birkdale

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The heaviest rain of the championship so far is falling.

Joint leaders again top the board...

Listen to Iain and the gang, just click 'BBC coverage' at the top of the page.