Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

The rain has cleared but it’s cold and breezy out on the Dunluce Links course now - those punters who came in shorts at the promise of sunshine earlier must feel their knees knocking now. Or is that a chattering of teeth?

Take that every day.

From a mongrel tee shot, Shane Lowry has reeled in a par. That will do.

Dylan Frittelli - whose name reminds me of Chelsea Dagger every time I hear it - is into a share of second.

The South Africa has stroked in a birdie at 15 - his fifth of the day - to move to eight under alongside JB Holmes.

Shane Lowry is the delicacy and dexterity of a brain surgeon as he caresses a chip from back behind the green to within three feet.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

Image source, BBC Sport

Don’t know whether to follow Rory or Lowry? Follow both on the big screen from The Open Arms...

Shane Lowry has charged straight through the back of the 17th green.

A little too much adrenaline, a little too much club.

Whatever was the problem it was a little overeager.

Shane Lowry has found his ball.

It is on a spectator path, high on the right-hand ridge overlooking the fairway.

That is a superb bit of luck for the leader. He is taking a free drop and has a decent lie and a clear line of sight down to the pin.

The four-leaf clover on his ball winks to the television camera.

Conor McNamara
BBC Radio 5 live commentator at Royal Portrush

Work to do for Shane Lowry here

Shane Lowry lets loose a stray drive and a salty swear word on the 17th tee.

The ball disappears into a clutch of spectators on the right hand side. That could be a messy one to unpick...

Rory McIlroy's birdie putt on eight is close. But there are no marks for style in this game.

He remains six over and with it all to do.

Shane Lowry has a slippery four-footer on 16 to secure his par.

The ball looks like it heading sideways. bu the Irishman has allowed for that and down the chute it goes.

Shane Lowry's tee shot on the par-three 16th veers right, but stays just the right side of the border where the badlands begin.

Image source, Getty

Gary Woodland looks like he is challenging Portrush to bring it.

He is level par for the day, three over overall.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

Ding! Rory McIlroy gets the birdie he ordered at seven - and that brings a huge cheer and rapturous applause from the hardcore followers around the seventh green. That’ll keep them warm for a bit. Rory will be hoping his putter can stay hot too.

Rory McIlroy finally breathes some warmth into his putter.

A big dipper of birdie chance finds its way home on seven.

With the cut expected to fall at two over, he needs to pick up another four shots over the next 11 holes.

Possible? Yes. Probable. Not considering his form over this weekend and the wild weather.

John Murray
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator

Shane Lowry hit that bunker shot with such assurance. The crowd were so pleased they cheered like he had holed an eagle.

It's a deft flick out of the bunker from Shane Lowry and the ball lands near to the flag.

He taps in for par. Panic over.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

Is that a break in the clouds? Nope. And the atmosphere now feels as damp as the thick, soggy rough up the side of the seventh. Rory managed to come up short of that to land his tee shot in the wet bunker instead and he really needs something to get the crowd - and his hopes of making the weekend - going again.

Dylan Frittelli, who is now tied for third, only earned his place at this year’s Open with a PGA Tour win at John Deere on Sunday.

The South African doesn’t seem phased and is four under for the day so far.

Shane Lowry can only lean on his club and look into the distance as his ball lands in a bunker to the left of the 15th green.

His back nine is a very different story to the front so far. The Irishman hit five birdies over the first nine holes, but has had a birdie and a bogey since then.