Ryan Gerard is two shots off the lead. He is quietly and consistently going about compiling a decent round.

Slow, steady and playing the percentages to keep himself in contention.

He looks to the sky to track his ball and finishes 25 feet from the hole. There's not been many birdies on the 16th, but Gerard goes close with his putt before sliding in from a couple of feet for par.

That's a bold line from Jackson Suber into the par-three 15th. His ball lands on the right edge of the green and tries its best to stay on the surface, but it eventually decides to go for a wander and rolls down the sun-baked bank.

Heavy-handed with his chip, he needs to sink a 15-footer for par...but it zips past on the left.

Lucas Herbert went the opposite direction off the tee and his pitch scuttles well past the flag and rests on the fringe. His par putt stays above ground, so that's a couple of sloppy bogeys it must be said.

Bob MacIntyre is just finishing off his round at the 18th, and he tidies up nicely after putting his approach shot into the gully surrounding the green.

He takes his hat off and shakes hands with Alex Fitzpatrick who has finally found a birdie for his round from 32 feet.

These two began the day in a good spot but have slipped back and are probably too far away to have a say tomorrow.

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BBC Radio 5 Live

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Tommy Fleetwood, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after his one-under 69: "In those closing holes, you've got two par-fives and I had a really good round going. I felt I had an opportunity to get a really good score. It didn't materialise.

"I did a lot of good stuff and it was a really fun day. I got within one of the lead at one point and was in contention. It was a fun atmosphere to play in front of.

"You put yourself into a really good position but can't quite capitalise. There's still another round. Let's see what the leaders finish on. They're playing good golf but let's see what we can do tomorrow."

On the home support: "They have been amazing and I think they've made the tournament so special. There is so much anticipation for me coming into this event. It's a very special week for me in my home town and the crowd have made it extra special.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, I think yesterday evening, today when I had it going and the walk up 18 every day are things I will remember forever.

"The crowd amplifies the really good moments and they lift you up in poorer moments."

On getting a decent night's rest: "I'll sleep just fine - they're pretty long days!"

That's a lovely touch from Kim Si-woo, who pitches from the rough onto the green.

A gimme birdie.

Neither Sam Burns or Bryson DeChambeau can land lengthy birdie putts on 16, so they both settle for pars as they move on to what's definitely a birdie chance at the 17th.

It's the easiest hole on the course today playing half a shot under its par.

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Ryan Gerard consolidates back-to- back birdies with a par on the 15th, but things are starting to unravel for Cameron Young as the shadows lengthen on the greens at Royal Birkdale.

Young chips out the greenside bunker and has a 16-foot putt to save par...but the stays low and curls away from the hole.

A third bogey on the back nine for Young.

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Great recovery effort from Scottie Scheffler on the last as he saves his par to finish with a level-par round of 70 - during which yet again the putting has been his problem.

He's five shots back as it stands going into the final round - not a huge amount but with plenty of players between him and retaining the Claret Jug. Scheffler will need a fast start, and will need to start making some putts.

Lovely stuff from Jackson Suber, who splashes a beauty of the greenside bunker at 14 and rolls in the five-footer for his birdie four.

Impressive bounce back after that bogey on 13.

No joy for Lucas Herbert, though, who lips out with his birdie effort, turning away in disgust as the cup spits his ball back out.

He's still tied with Sam Burns.

Scottie Scheffler is miles left off the tee on 18, even wider than those blue railings that can't be moved, but players do get a free drop away from them back on the course.

The world number one is having none of that though, so scales the barriers like a cat and then whacks an iron towards the green, then clambers back over with all the skill of an Olympic gymnast.

Joking. It's an awkward but hilarious scrambling from Scheffler - could be my moment of the tournament so far that one.

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Gotta enjoy the physical test these bunkers put you through.

Well, at least I enjoy watching these finely tuned athletes dealing with them. Think I'd pull a hammy...

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Bryson DeChambeau with his 12th birdie of the week after a brilliant tee shot on the 15th - the big hospitality stand loved that one, and so did Bryson.

He's not going anywhere...

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Like number 10 buses for Ryan Gerard.

You wait all round for a birdie and then two come along in consecutive holes.

Gerard brilliantly chips out of the sand at the 14th to leave himself a short putt...which he duly rolls in.

Barely a flicker of emotion from the 26-year-old.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

It’s obvious how many admirers Tommy Fleetwood has around these parts. But not just for his golf.

"Tommy, you sexy thing!" shouts one fella after his crush holes out on the last.

Fleetwood coyly laughs and waves back. He might get a few marriage propositions if he wins tomorrow. Don’t tell his wife.

Fourteen feet for a second straight birdie for Bob MacIntyre? Not this time.

The Scot stays at three under par and is heading down the 18th.

Catriona Matthew
Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

We need to wait and see how the leaders finish.

That was really important for Tommy Fleetwood to only drop the one shot at the last.

Getting to the turn at two under, he'll be a little bit annoyed about the back nine.

I think he'll have a chance tomorrow.

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It's the putter that can make all the difference - as Sam Burns shows by draining a 30 footer to get back to nine under and back into a share of the lead again.

Burns is big mates with Scottie Scheffler - and how the world number one could do with even half of the putting ability Burns is showing here.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

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A wave of noise and emotion carries Tommy Fleetwood up to the 18th green.

He's one of them and the crowd is showing him how proud they are of what he has achieved.

Imagine - just imagine - how loud it would be on Sunday if he's on course to win the Claret Jug.

The noise would be heard on the Isle of Man.

Ryan Gerard and Cameron Young play bold approach shots at the par-five 14th as they go in search of birdies on the home stretch.

Gerard finds the bunker at the edge the green, though, while Young is in the rough beyond that.

Work to do for the American duo.

Now then, Tommy Fleetwood is right up against the grandstand and putting for par from well off the green.

That attempt slides about eight feet past - a critical bogey putt coming up.

At the end of another fairly solid day, Fleetwood will be kicking himself if he racks up more than five at the last.

And he makes the bogey putt! One under for the day.

Jon Rahm makes his par putt for a round of 70.

A big hug between the two Ryder Cup team-mates on the 18th green.