Image source, Getty Images

Rafa Cabrera-Bello is building on his European Tour win last week with a top tournament again. His birdie putt on 18 a lovely way to end and it draws a big punch of the air. A round of three under has him tied for sixth.

No player has more birdies than Bubba Watson's 13 this week but he's just given way too many back to this course and is only at one over having made par on 18.

Some spectators seem to have a train to catch. Either that or they haven't packed a cagoule...

Brooks Koepka is understandably angered by his ball, which elected to hang on the lip to deny eagle on 15. A putt of more than 40ft just stops cheekily with around half an inch to go. Birdie is sweet but there's an after taste. Ian Poulter gets his birdie here too.

Up on 17, Bubba Watson managed to make six on a par five and he's gone from being two under less than 45 minutes ago to one over. Race run, you may as well stay in bed tomorrow chief.

About three hours ago, we said there was no chance Branden Grace would still be among the frontrunners in about three hours time.

Further proof that either a) golf is unpredictable or b) we don't know what we're talking about.

Make your own mind up which one it is...

Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live golf expert

Kuchar and Spieth are way ahead of what you would expect to see in terms of their putting averages.

-9 J Spieth (14)

-8 M Kuchar (14)

-4 B Grace (F), HMatsuyama (18), B Koepka (14)

Selected others:-3 D Johnson (F), H Stenson (F), C Kim (F), A Connelly (14); -2 R Fisher (F), R McIlroy (15); -1 R Fowler (F), I Poulter (14)

Full leaderboard

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Duroe: My dream fourball Tiger Woods, Kelly Brook and of course Mr Peter Alliss.

SMJ: Peter Alliss, Oscar Wilde & Billy Connolly

"Oooh, we could have co-leaders," one of my colleagues says. Very optimistically.

Have you seen this dude's putting? He finds the destination more often than a sat nav. Spieth sends ball home again, maintaining a slender one-shot lead.

Jordan Spieth, standing on the 14th tee, looks at a green cowering under an angry-looking dark sky.

"Catch a piece of the green," he pleads. Ball listens. It hangs onto the bottom left corner, leaving the American with a hell of birdie putt.

Matt Kuchar is well within reach of a birdie two - within about 12 feet. He sends the little fella on the way, chugging along at a decent pace to hold its line and drop in the right pocket.

Over to you Jordan...

If I could just hit one drive in my life like the one Rory McIlroy just smoked up the middle of 16 I'd retire from the game of golf on the spot.

Both Kuchar and Spieth are on the back fringe, Kooch having to show his fellow American the way from a different postcode to the hole.

Various shouts of 'Get in the hole!" and "Koooch!" help his ball trundle along to its required destination, Kooch lunging forward, back knee to the ground, in anticipation. His ball doesn't drop quite as quickly, leaving him with a tap-in for par.

Spieth's knock up doesn't threaten the can, leaving him with a slightly nervy par putt. Slightly nervy for anyone other than the world number three.

Iain Carter
BBC Sport golf correspondent at Royal Birkdale

It doesn't feel like a birdie for McIlroy, he hit such a magnificent second shot to set up the eagle attempt.

Image source, Getty Images

Rory McIlroy from the 15th fairway, par five, he has no choice but to attack now. Rory summons his army Game of Thrones style and grabs his biggest shield. He lets rip like a Street Fighter character and a sweet bounce gets him on the green to eye eagle. The putt isn't any more than 15ft but under this blackening sky he can't make it. A big chance from that range. Progress but he needs at least two more of those today you'd think...

Image source, Reuters

The Open's official website says thunder and lightning could arrive within an hour at Royal Birkdale.

Apparently the 13th at Birkdale used to be a par five. Now, for the modern bulging-biceps golfer, it is not even a long par four.

Matt Kuchar goes over the back, Jordan Spieth following his mate like a shadow.

American Kevin Na's pants were the talk of the course earlier.

He said: "I got some positive reactions, saying nice trousers and pants, the crowd liked it. You have to change it up and make it exciting. "

Available in a military clothing store near you.

Image source, Reuters

Rory McIlroy on the elevated 15th tee box, a par five. He needs a birdie as a minimum haul here and the tee shot is good. Brooks Koepka has around 10ft for his par on 13 but that is not threatening and isn't even making it into that bin lid we all visualise around the hole. Ian Poulter, on the same hole for par... 10ft or so... pulls it. Three holes, three shots lost.

This field are just handing the bounty over to Jordan Spieth and I can tell you Bubba Watson has just made a double bogey on 16. Serves him right for not using a white ball.

After all the excitement of seeing the earlybirds tear up Birkdale, the later starters have not had as much fun.

None of the overnight leaders have looked like matching Branden Grace's birdie-tastic 62. Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar, both three under for the day, are the lowest scorers of the final dozen men to go out.