Turns out Cam Smith wasn't in a bad position.

He was on the fringe of the 12th green, allowing him to chip onto the sixth and use the longer cut in-between them to take the pace out of the ball.

Talk about control... brilliant.

Young aims left with a 12-foot birdie putt... doesn't move.

We'll call that one a draw, as both Scheffler and Johnson have to settle for pars in the end - with both failing to find the answer to reading their putts.

Tricky flag placement as well on a great little hole.

"Fore!" shouts Cam Smith. Followed by another four-letter word which we wouldn't dream of publishing here.

The overnight leader has gone way out west with his approach on the sixth.

He's near the green - but it's the 12th, which shares the putting surface with the sixth.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Just as the birdies are dropping for this duo, the breeze is starting to cause a few hair-in-the-face mishaps for the onlooking spectators - could make things interesting through this little loop of holes out on the corner or the course. Glad I parked my jumper.

Our leader has reached the 354-yard seventh. Oh, what's this - a loose shot?! He carves his drive out to the right and it trundles into the bunker.

McIlroy's hand comes straight off his three-wood through impact. It's left, but it avoids the cabbage and he's in the short stuff - not bad!

Patrick Cantlay is looking at more birdies than your local RSPB group.

Half chances at seven and eight can't be taken though and he stays in the American trio on 10 under.

Scheffler's pulled the jumper on - it's obviously a bit cold for him in Scotland!

Really good hole this seventh, just a a short par four but like so many around here it makes you think.

These two have both biffed their drives right down there, but still need some thinking time before playing two lovely shots in, around and through all those bumps and hillocks surrounding this flag.

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 Live

Our first birdie has taken us five holes - and it has gone to Cameron Young.

The putter is just not working for Cameron Smith today yet.

A deft touch which Picasso would be proud of.

Cameron Young flicks the wrists to finally add a splash of colour to his round.

The chip onto the fifth green was sublime, the birdie putt is the finishing touch.

The American's first birdie of the day and it moves him alongside his playing partner, whose putter again *shock, horror* lets him down.

Oh he's only gone and made another one! Four birdies in a row.

Viktor Hovland leads The Open by two, folks.

McIlroy makes his birdie putt and stays in touch, two behind.

Hovland with a wedge in his hands in the middle of the sixth fairway.

This has 'close' written all over it. Hmmm, it's a bit right. He won't be thrilled with that one.

McIlroy, from a tight lie on the walkway. He nips it beautifully and gets it to check on the second bounce. Lovely.

Another makeable birdie putt coming up - he needs to make one sooner rather than later!

Uncharacteristic mistake from Scheffler as he booms a five-footer well beyond the hole, without even touching the sides.

It leaves him a tester coming back but he's equal to it to remain on 10 under - alongside Johnson as he managed to save his par.

Not just the putter which Cameron Smith can get a tune out of.

The Aussie punches an iron up towards the fifth green with his second shot, ball running up the ridge and looking like it could finish close.

Woah there, giddy up. It continues to gallop by, but we'd all take that for two.

What of Cameron Young? His second doesn't make it over the deep swale guarding the green.

The boy Bysouth certainly has a way with words.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

A wry smile from the leader follows his tee shot at six. Viktor Hovland is boasting the supreme confidence of a man sporting white kecks with a delicate spider-like print.

By order of the Peaky Blinders? The Shelbys didn't ever use their 'influence' in golf - horse racing and boxing were more their sports.

But, indirectly, the Brummie gangsters might help Cameron Smith win the Open.

After his first round, Smith watched a couple of episodes of the crime drama and planned to stick it on again last night.

"I might watch a few more and just try to stay up a little bit longer," he said.

"I think it's really important. I think I've always done a good job of, once golf is finished, kind of getting on with life."

If the Australian wins, he might hold the party in the Garrison.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Sky Sports’ Wayne Riley has just chugged a can of water on the sixth tee to huge cheers from those in the stands behind him. Crowd pleaser.

John Murray
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

Now Hovland leads on his own,. And that is just the start he would have wanted.

And Rory McIlroy makes his first forward move of the day with his scoring. Finally. Finally he's off the mark.

Jordan Spieth! Remember him? Of course you do, he always appears in contention at the Open.

While still not near his 2015 peak of world domination, there is something about the British links which brings out the best in the Texan.

The 2017 champion has flown under the radar so far this week, but birdies on 12 and 13 move him four under for the day and four adrift of the leader.

Right Rory, time to get going now. The 2014 champion gives his lengthy eagle bid a fair whack and it drifts off to the left, but he strokes home for a birdie.

Surely Hovland won't make another one disappear? Ha, not this time, but it's a simple birdie and that takes the 24-year-old into the lead on his own after three birdies on the spin.

Big early move from Hovland.

Image source, Getty Images