Ged Scott
BBC Sport at Royal Birkdale

In major championship history, wire-to-wire wins like Jordan Spieth is hoping to achieve this afternoon are rare.

Only on 25 previous occasions has a victory been claimed after heading the leaderboard at the end of every round.

The most recent was Spieth himself at the 2015 Masters, while Rory McIlroy has done it twice, at the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, having also done it at the 2011 US Open.

At the end of his round today, 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose was asked just how tough it must be.

"Being the leader is never nice to sleep on," he said. "But, when you're on, you're on. You stay focused. If you're in the right mindset, it doesn't prove to be any harder to handle.

"It's a rare place and not easy. But, if you're playing well, you feel good. And, if you feel comfortable, then you're on your game."

Image source, Nick Clark

Is that Phil Mickelson or Inspector Gadget?

Would a go-go gadget arm be useful on a golf course? Maybe to retrieve your ball from a water hazard.

Jordan Spieth has the short stick out. But he's putting from a different postcode, on the back fringe of the third green.

A nice weight, the ball trundling along nicely. It drifts slightly right, but shouldn't be a problem for Goldeneye Spieth.

Kuchar's ball is on a similar line, just outside of his playing partner. He's pulled it left.

Spieth should learn a lesson there... he doesn't! The same outcome for the Texan leaves a stunned silence around the third green.

Rickie Fowler may well have the top-five in his sights here as he drains a monster on nine to reach two under.

Image source, Getty Images

I'm a big fan of Brooks Koepka's outfit today. Simple but effective, minty fresh for a mild Birkdale afternoon.

His tee shot to par-three fourth is just as sharp, but it doesn't quite get the run and stops on the outer reaches of the green. A long birdie putt takes him close to the can and that'll be another par. He stays one over for the day.

Austin Connelly is like-for-like with the American, both bogeyed the first.

This is a tricky little shot for Matt Kuchar. The flagstick, in the bottom right corner of the third green, is close to the top of the bunker, Kuchar flopping out perfectly on to the bank and letting roll down close towards the hole.

Over to you Jordan...

"I've no idea where that is," says Jordan Spieth after his second shot on three. Let me tell you, Jord... it's gone through the back.

A big opportunity for Matt Kuchar to start firing heat down the back of his young compatriot's neck... is lost. "Go, go, GO!" shouts Kooch as his ball drifts right.

It doesn't listen, clipping the bank of the bunker and plopping into the sandtrap.

Image source, .

Rory McIlroy guns one into the seventh green from the tee, a par three of course. He's finding his range to consistently give himself outside chances but all of these long putts are beyond him. Today he's now par-par-par-par-par-par-par.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Royal Birkdale

Peachiest of summer days out on the links, soft breeze tickling the tops of the dunes, warm sun and a smear of thin white cloud. The squeeze on the scoring is coming instead from inside - the tension of a final day at The Open, the pressure of leading for one and chasing for the rest.

-10Spieth (2)

-9 Kuchar (2)

-4 -Li (16) Grace (3), Koepka (2), Connelly (2)

Selected: -3 Noren (7), Cabrera-Bello (4); -2 Southgate (14), Poulter (6), McIlroy (6)

Full scoreboard available here.

Well, well, well. Game on. Jordan Spieth steadies himself on the third tee, head barely moving as he looks to guide the ball on the fairway. Ahhh, he's pushed it into the rough.

Image source, Chris Thiart

Louis Oosthuizen's nickname is Shrek.

Can Austin Connelly pull himself back to five under? The 20-year-old Canadian eyes up his birdie putt and tickles it towards the cup... that looks good, but it stops just short.

Brooks Koepka finds a bunker behind the green but lofts out of the sand to set up a makeable par putt. Down it goes.

As you were.

Let's see what kind of response Jordan Spieth can muster on the second tee. A good one. Over the right-to-left dogleg, a healthy kick onto the fairway. Position A.

Matt Kuchar, from the right of the fairway, is going to show him the way into the green... in style! Kooch nails his approach, leaving him with a tap-in for birdie.

Over to you Jordan. A short iron in... a little hop and the ball stops dead about eight foot away.

Kooch knocks in his ball, Spieth steps up... missed it. Three becomes one!

Rory McIlroy hits his favourite high-draw shape on six. Again he's given himself a birdie look, this one of around 12ft. Ross Fisher alongside him has settled after that first hole calamity and a few pars have the Englishman at one over for the tournament, three shots gone today.

Rory sets his putt rolling, left-to-right break, he bends at the knees as it goes close. Six pars.

Image source, Getty

Well, Alfie Plant won't forget this weekend in a hurry.

He taps in for par on the 18th in front of a grandstand crowd made up of his old pals who've travelled up from London and a whole load of new fans who've really taken to the 25-year-old.

He's finished at six over par, but that's enough for the amateur to take the silver medal and he's delighted.

"They've absolutely loved it," he says of those mates who made the trip. "I think there's going to be a party tonight."

Incidentally, in pun-filled Plant news, Alfie's girlfriend is called... Daisy Meadows!

Image source, Adam Hunter

Not sure Beef will thank you for this one Adam.

Image source, Getty Images

Li Haotong is having the week of his life it seems. A one-time European Tour winner, the 21-year-old has only played in a major once before - he came 68th at the US Open. Some of you may not remember him but some of you may recall this moment, where his mum retrieved his broken putter from a lake at a recent event. Click here to watch., external

Henrik Stenson's grey shirt looks like someone's nipper has gone to town on it with a black crayon.

Now his card is being spoiled. The defending champion bogeys the par-four third to drop off page one of the leaderboard. Still, he could be Dustin Johnson.

The world number one followed up that double bogey on the first with a bogey on the second before steadying the ship on the third.

DJ has tumbled down the charts quicker than an X Factor reject.