Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

Image source, Reuters

A lot of people have been talking up Jon Rahm this week as the Spaniard has form on Irish links courses - having won this year's Irish Open, to add to his 2017 victory - plenty of “go on, Jon boy” shouts following him around.

It’s also been interesting to hear Patrick Reed’s reception - the American isn’t always popular and had some fiery battles with home favourite Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup a few years back, but seems to have got a pretty good reception from the Northern Irish crowd.

There are two South Koreans in the upper reaches of the leaderboard now, as Sang-Hyun Park is also enjoying a good third round. The 36-year-old sinks a long birdie at the 10th to go four under for the day.

Having just nailed a birdie on the second, Dustin Johnson gives himself a golden opportunity to immediately add another by placing his approach shot to within six feet of the hole on the par-three third. His putter lets him down, though, as the ball kisses the edge of he hole and the has to settle for a par.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Royal Portrush is an amazing links golf course so we want to know what are your experiences of links golf? Balls on the beach? Horizontal rain? Gale force winds? Super sunshine? Lost balls in double figures? Holes in one? Send us your best stories and photos to #bbcgolf.

Birkenhead’s Paul Waring was first out of the hutch this morning. He was supposed to be providing some expert analysis for BBC Radio 5 Live this week but he qualified for the The Open with a final-hole birdie at the Irish Open a couple of weeks ago.

And because 73 players made the cut, he had no playing partner so Royal Portrush head professional Gary McNeill provided some company.

Waring shot a four-over 75 and is five over for the tournament. He won't be first out on Sunday because fellow Englishman Ashton Turner is currently propping up the leaderboard on seven over.

McNeill, by the way, gave BBC Sport his inisght into playing a round at Portrush...

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Byeong-Hun An drops a second birdie in a row at the fifth, using the contours to perfection to see the ball just drop in.

The Korean's birdie is met with virtual silence - but that might be because the slope of the green prevented the crowd from seeing it - or they're just a tough crowd...

Henrik Stenson is on the charge. He hits successive birdies from the second and moves up to five under, three off the lead...

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

The atmosphere when Rory McIlroy was making his charge down the back nine yesterday evening was incredible. He was welcomed on to the 18th green like a man about to lift the Claret Jug, not painstakingly miss the cut.

It’s a calmer, probably less beer-fuelled, feeling so far today as spectators mooch leisurely between holes to grab a glimpse of different players who started earlier.

That’s at least until the leaders head out, then we’ll no doubt hear mighty roars and applause echoing around the Dunluce Links course once again.

Byeong-Hun An sends his putt from just off the green at the fourth way to the left, but the slope takes it down and in for a birdie - the Korean's second of the day.

BBC Radio 5 Live

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BBC Radio 5 Live's John Murray caught up with Peter Alliss earlier, who played The Open the last time it was held at Royal Portrush in 1951.

"There were lots of friendly faces and happy people for a start," he remembers.

"My brother, Alec, brought me and I had just completed my national service six weeks before. I was just 20. We stayed at a little hotel only about a quarter of a mile away - it seemed to be buzzing.

"I guess the final days there might have been 10,000 maybe. It seemed to be busy. All the men had long overcoats on and trilby hats.

"Irish and Scottish golf has always been something a bit special. They have some magnificent courses around the coast in Ireland. It's lovely to see, they deserve it. It's all gone well and is one of the best organised.

"This should be on the rota and I reckon in seven to 10 years we'll be back in Portrush."

The big story from yesterday was Rory McIlroy's sensational 65. He fell just short of making the cut, though, with the damage done by his opening round.

Check out the highlights of his second round in the video above.

Steady start to the third round for world number two Dustin Johnson. He makes par on the first hole and is three under for the tournament.

The flags have stopped fluttering, meaning the wind has died down considerably. Good opportunity for those out there right now to make some moves up the leaderboard.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

Image source, BBC Sport

Now don’t leave it left on the second or you’ll find the sand... on the back of this cart - and that doesn’t look like a bunker you’d fancy playing out of.

But a course this spectacular needs maintaining - both inside and out of the ropes - and these guys are on hand for any last-minute tidying up.

Just don’t ask them if you can hitch a lift.

Check out the highlights as Ireland's Shane Lowry's made a lightning fast start to the second round to take the outright lead at The Open.

Lowry wobbled on the back nine and recovered to share the lead on eight under with American JB Holmes.

They get their third rounds under way at 15:50 BST

Image source, Getty Images

Two-time Open champion Ernie Els is going pretty well so far this afternoon.

The South African hit successive birdies from the second, briefly putting him within four shots of the leaders but he's just had a slight setback with a bogey on the fourth.

That bright blue sky is swiftly filling up with clouds. Tougher conditions expected later this afternoon. Ernie will want to make a few more gains before they arrive.

The 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett has started well, with birdies on three and five - the latter thanks to a chip in from the rough.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at Royal Portrush

Image source, BBC Sport

Now, players have been driving the fifth green all week but if you give it too much bang your ball will leap off the cliff and end up down on the beach below.

And that’s where Portrush Parkrun took place this morning.

There was a huge turnout as fans and media who’ve made the trip for The Open took part in glorious early conditions on the coast.

It’s the first Parkrun to take place on a beach, although navigating the soft energy-sapping sand and with a return leg into the wind it felt more like I was treading water at times.

Image source, BBC Sport

Graeme McDowell has not long finished his round, and he did so in fine style.

A superb second shot put him just a couple of feet from the hole, and his subsequent birdie and round of 68 earned the local boy a huge ovation and the clubhouse lead. He sits on - 2.

That puts the pair just four shots off the lead. The overnight leaders tee off in just under two hours.

15:50 -8: JB Holmes, Shane Lowry

15:40 -7 Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood

15:30 -6 Cameron Smith, Justin Harding

15:20 -5 Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka

15:10 -5 Jordan Spieth, Andrew Putnam

15:00 -5 Dylan Frittelli; -4 Erik van Rooyen