Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Royal Portrush

McIlroy's just stuck in neutral a bit. His body language is getting increasingly agitated, but he still has plenty of chances on the horizon.

There's so many people out here and it's almost impossible for the marshals to stop them straying beyond the ropes, which is what has just happened between the ninth and 10th fairways.

Graeme Storm
Two-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

One thing I noticed before that putt on the 10th was McIlroy looking for the leaderboard.

Some players say they don't like looking at it, but he strode up the green and the first thing he looked for was the leaderboard.

At this point about an hour ago, the thousands of McIlroy fanatics at Royal Portrush started to get excited.

Six pars later and the dream has stalled a little.

Rory McIlroy is bent over in anguish again as a birdie putt slides by the hole - but it's a birdie putt from 20 feet when he hit his approach from only 130 yards away.

He just has to try to get these wedges and short irons closer.

The up-and-down nature of Bob MacIntyre's round continues as he gifts a shot back at the eighth.

His past five holes read bogey, birdie, par, eagle, bogey.

Steady old Harris English just has two birdies - and he's a shot ahead of his playing partner as it stands.

Oliver Wilson
Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live at Portrush

Image source, Getty Images

It’s typical Scottie Scheffler - it’s not been quite with it yet, but he’s just been hanging in there.

His bad golf is level par, which is always a good sign.

Matt Fitzpatrick birdied the sixth hole in both of his first two rounds. He's got another chance here from about 12 feet.

Scottie Scheffler drills his tee shot with a lower trajectory and gets a lovely run-on after bouncing, his ball coming to rest about the same distance from the cup as his playing partner's.

Image source, Getty Images

There's been lots of talk around the US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley in recent weeks and his performance here at Portrush only increases the noise.

An excellent four-under 67 yesterday is being followed up by another tidy round so far today.

He makes the turn in 34 with a blemish-free front nine and sits at five under for the championship.

Safe pars for the two leaders on the fifth.

Five pars in a row for Scottie Scheffler to start.

On they go to the par-three sixth...

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Royal Portrush

It's a toasty old July afternoon now and plenty of people are making use of the water refill stations around the course.

Staying hydrated and saving the planet. A good combination.

Image source, Getty Images

We said Tyrrell Hatton had gone a bit right off the seventh tee...

Well, he bunted his second shot up the fairway, leaving about 140 yards to the flag - and he holes his third! A bounce at the front of the green, the perfect amount of check spin and in it goes.

And he smiles! Tyrrell smiles!

An unorthodox eagle three but he'll definitely take it!

Image source, Getty Images

Rory McIlroy strides off the 10th tee with a big water bottle no doubt filled with a protein shake or some other kind of power-up juice.

Not sure he needs it, he's just smoked his drive 323 yards down the fairway...

He means business on this back nine

Image source, Getty Images

Maybe the magic of that suncream has kicked in now for Bob MacIntyre (see 16:08)

An unbelievable second shot at the seventh sets him up with six feet for eagle.

Which he duly tucks away.

The Scotsman has closed to within three of the lead.

He's followed to seven under by playing partner Harris English. A bit of momentum with this group.

The co-leaders have a lengthy wait on the fifth tee while Li Haotong and Brian Harman finish up ahead.

Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick are both about 20 yards from the front of the green in the semi-rough, but they don't have the best angle to get close to the flag.

Image source, Getty Images

We catch up with Justin Rose for the first time in a while and oh, it's bleak. He's on the downslope of some grisly undergrowth down the 11th hole.

This was where his excellent round stalled yesterday - and he's shanked his shot wide right again.

It'll be another bogey for last year's runner-up.

Rory McIlroy has now found every green in regulation on the front nine, but he's bunted his approach too far from out of the rough as it lands pin high and races right to the back of the putting surface.

He again hits a great lag putt to secure par, and a three-under 33 for his front nine would've been in his sights beforehand, but he's given himself more chances to be even better.

Especially after his hot start...

Tyrrell Hatton is playing better than a score of one under today would suggest.

He's hit every green and every fairway in his first six holes, giving himself a look at a birdie at least on every hole.

If his putter heats up, he'll be a big threat to the leaders.

As I write that, he goes slightly right off the seventh tee and he's into the long grass.

Graeme Storm
Two-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

You can never rule out Xander Schauffele, he's a fantastic golfer and if he can get himself in the mix he'll be a danger tomorrow.

There have been eight eagles around Royal Portrush today.

A quarter of them belong to Xander Schauffele.

He has definitely turned up for his title defence now.

Image source, PA Media

Five birdies and an eagle today for Russell Henley send him into the clubhouse at six under.

He holed nothing but pars after his three on the par-five 12th, and finds himself in a share of fifth as it stands.

Who saw that coming?