A few moments ago, there was no panic among you guys.

The thumbs said McIlroy was still the name going to be engraved on the Claret Jug.

A quick bit of maths told us you were 3-1 in favour of him seeing the job through.

That might have changed after Smith started knocking out more hot birdies than your favoured fried chicken supplier.

Lydia Hall
Ladies European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

Smith chose a putter and that was judged to perfection.

Cameron Young again matches the birdie of his playing partner and he moves to -17.

Smith is seven under for the round, Young five.

Sensational shooting.

Smith is out with the putter from off the back of the 14th.

He gives it a good whack. Oh my word that is unreal. It rolls from right to left and all the way down to the cup. A gimme birdie.

Gloriously judged.

FIVE birdies in a row.

Rory finds himself chasing.

Image source, Getty Images

American left-hander Brian Harman birdies the 18th to take the clubhouse lead on 13 under par, edging out Bryson DeChambeau by a shot.

Fine effort that from Harman with a final round of 66, but it won't be enough to trouble the leaders.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

A roll or the head from Rory McIlroy as another putt fails to drop, you have to wonder whether he’s having a sneaky look at the scoreboard or being informed what’s going on up ahead? He’ll know some of these birdies need to start sinking…

The tango is all about improvisation, as I'm sure someone as nimble on his feet as Mr Carter knows.

McIlroy wants to dance and sidles up to the hole with confidence.

Excellent effort and can't fault the belief. But he gets blown out at the last second and must settle for a par.

Hovland would loved to have accepted that, but instead scribbles down a bogey.

Time running out for the Norwegian.

No birdie for Jordan Spieth on 16, so he goes for it all on 17 but his approach has a bit too much juice on it and it tumbles off the thin sliver of green and onto the famous road behind.

He'll have to hole that to give himself a chance.

Smith, at the par-five 14, sweeps his second away from 280 yards. This lad is dialled-in. It comfortably reaches the green and just runs through the back, but he'll be eyeing an up-and-in for birdie.

No wonder the caddie's smiling. His man is playing better than anyone out there.

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 Live

McIlroy is on the dancefloor, but not exactly doing a tango with the pin.

Oh Viktor! After finally splashing some red onto his scorecard, he pulls his tee-shot on 13 into the bunker and takes his medicine.

Struggling to save par.

What of McIlroy? Another fairway found, another green hit in regulation.

A long birdie putt awaits and it's difficult to see this being the one to give him some breathing space from Smith.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

Another cheer from up ahead, those following Rory know what that means… their charge hasn’t dropped a shot today but all of a sudden the lead is shared, and not with his playing partner Viktor.

Cameron Smith smokes his drive down the par-five 14th.

While McIlroy has stalled, the Players champion has produced a brilliantly timed charge and may well be the one to beat.

Blimey. How are those fingernails, folks? What do you mean you haven't got any left?

If you've not completely devoured your thumbs, put one up for a McIlroy win or one down for a Smith/A.N. Other win?

Let's gauge the mood.

John Murray
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

He's got four birdies in a row. Cam Smith has come from almost nowhere to tie the lead.

Image source, Getty Images

Oh my word he's got another one!

Cameron Smith just can't miss a putt at the moment.

Four birdies in a row to start his back nine and Rory has company at the top for the first time in a while.

Young matches the Australian's three. He's right there as well.

This is riveting.

Eventually! Viktor Hovland finally gives himself a chance and confidently takes it.

That's his first birdie of the day, wiping out the bogey on four and moving him back to within two of McIlroy.

Image source, Getty Images

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 Live

How many chances? How costly might they prove if they don't start dropping for McIlroy.

Not much movement here for McIlroy. About 10 feet away, pretty flat. This feels like an important moment...

The frontrunner clunks it slightly left and the ball stays out there.

That goes down like an inappropriate joke at a funeral.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport at St Andrews

This is like the old times of Premier League relegation battles or final-day title deciders, when news used to filter through to fans on their radios that something has happened in another game.

Here, those with Open radio earphones in are informing mates that Cam Smith is making birdies up ahead, with whispers then passing through the crowd. Tense.