Bubba Watson drops a shot after for once failing to swirl his sand wedge shot into decent par-saving range.

JT instead shows him how it's done splashing out to inside six feet before rolling a testy putt home.

That McIlroy reprieve did not last long. The Northern Irishman has really struggled on the par threes today - double bogey, bogey and now... a triple bogey on the 11th!

He comes up left with his tee shot and fails to escape the rough, then squirts a bogey putt past the pin and cannot drown it on the way back either. Finally, it's down for a six.

Bubba Watson's last 10 major finishes: T39, T50, 80th, T26, T31, T71, 57th, T51, Missed cut, Missed cut.

In fact he has not finished inside the top five since the 2018 Masters. But is he putting himself in a position to win here?

Not with shots like that. his second on the 10th flies into the sand. He's had few problems getting out and splashing on close in previous holes but it's hardly a deliberate ploy.

Not the finish to the front nine Mito Pereira wanted as he cards successive bogeys after his approach shot had spun back off the green, leaving an impossible chip.

Zalatoris has a short birdie putt but yet again its missed, and he's furious and chuntering away to his caddie as he storms off the green.

Zalatoris hits the turn four over for his round so far, with Pereira level par and leading the tournament by two.

After a colourful run, Rory McIlroy starts the back nine with a par that keeps him at one under.

Abraham Ancer is having to grind a little though, a bogey for the Mexican.

Cameron Young suddenly finds himself in a share of fourth spot.

The American birdies the 13th adding to three birdies on the front nine - two bogeys have stopped him climbing any higher.

A birdie chance for Bubba Watson on the ninth. What can the American do here? He tickles his putt down the slope, that needs to break left but it straightens up on him and misses right. Perfect pace.

JT isn't even close with a mid-range birdie attempt from left to right. A misfiring sort of day so far for the 2017 champion.

It's a first bogey in 23 holes for Pereira as he can't get closer than about eight feet with his long putt all the way across the green.

This time his putter can't convert, so he slips back to nine under and 'just' the three-shot lead.

Zalatoris makes a putt from his danger zone of about four feet - he almost beats the ball to the hole as he bounces after it. Maybe that can kick-start his round.

Pars all round for JT and Bubba on the eighth, with the two-time Masters champ treating us to another masterclass from the sand.

On what is a relatively quiet day scoring wise, Seamus Power is on a rare roll after picking up three birdies in four holes on his back nine.

Power has picked up shots on 12, 13 and 15 to go from one over to two under and just inside the top 10.

Zane Scotland
Former European Tour player on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Just what Rory needed at the right time. There are not a lot of players between him and the top of the leaderboard.

Yes Mito Pereira looks like he's playing a different golf course and is well clear but he'll have his rocky hour and you need to keep yourself in touch.

Right then, is this the moment Rory McIlroy kickstarts his round? His drive comes up short and left of the green but the Northern Irishman clips an approach to within three feet.

Surely this one'll drop... yes! McIlroy puffs out his cheeks and breathes a sigh of relief. He stops the run of dropped shots and is off the mark with a first birdie today.

Tommy Fleetwood can put his feet up and relax. The Englishman is in the clubhouse after posting a one-under 69 today.

Only three players have bettered that so far in the third round.

Matt Fitzpatrick's opening nine holes: Bogey, bogey, par, par, birdie, birdie, bogey, par, birdie.

Like being on a rollercoaster without getting anywhere.

Zalatoris is just looking a little punch drunk here as he suffers blow after blow being launched at him by Southern Hills.

A poor chip shot with a dreaded deceleration does all the damage, and even though he almost rescues par with a long putt, it's another bogey.

Pereira is left thinking "hit it" to himself as he leaves a birdie putt short when bang on line.

The weather might not be great but Bubba Watson is boiling hot. The American drains a 21 footer for birdie on the seventh to move into a tie for second as JT misses a par-saving put from a third of the distance.

An absolute disaster of a round for Rory McIlroy so far - a disastrous three-hole stretch, really.

Another par putt slides by on the par-three eighth and the four-time major champion drops his fourth shot in the past three holes - just like that, he's back to level par.

Pereira has got his ball on a rope right now, as he cuts in a high seven iron approach after another booming drive, and it bounces and spins towards the hole and settles very much in birdie range.

Zalatoris, meanwhile, was wayward off the tee and could only poke his recovery shot wide of the green leaving another tough up-and-down.

It's all going Pereira's way.

Bob MacIntyre has very much had a day to forget with eight bogeys and two doubles. But can he at least break 80?

The Scot makes his second birdie of the day on the 17th to leave him 10 over for his round.

As it stands he is on course for the worst score of the day.