Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

A good opportunity for Tyrrell Hatton and there didn't look to be any break in it whatsoever...

Oh, goodness me. Scottie Scheffler has missed a host of eight to 12-footers for birdies today and then the defending Open champion almost holes one from about 80 feet.

However, his ball has dribbled about six feet past the cup so his par is far from guaranteed.

Bryson DeChambeau leaves his birdie attempt six inches short so must settle for a par.

Tyrrell Hatton follows DeChambeau in for a par three.

Will Scheffler tidy up? Yes he will.

Image source, Getty Images

Tommy Fleetwood has been patiently waiting for the Scheffler, DeChambeau, Hatton trio to finish up on the green before arrowing his second towards the front edge.

It's looking great... until it's not... the ball takes a linksy bounce off to the left and wanders down beyond a bunker to leave a tricky third. It was a fraction off bounding on to the green and a decent eagle look.

Jon Rahm is playing his third from distance after only advancing his second 75 yards from the rough. He finds the green but has a long birdie putt.

Jordan Spieth is way right with his second and can only chip his third onto the green and watch as it dribbles off into a bunker.

Image source, Getty Images

Time is running out for Justin Rose to make the cut, but a birdie at the 16th gives him a glimmer of a chance.

At three over, he probably needs a birdie-birdie - or more likely and an eagle-par - finish to stick around for the weekend.

Onto the par-three 15th, where Scottie Scheffler puts his tee shot at the front of the green, a long way from the hole.

Tyrrell Hatton is pin high with about 25 feet for birdie.

Bryson DeChambeau goes last in this trio and his ball settles right next to Hatton's.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

A really tricky pin at the 14th hole. It is perched just below the ridge.

You have to run it delicately down the ridge and Bryson DeChambeau just misjudged it.

I think the club might review this green. It is a severe right to left.

I was punching the air for Tyrrell Hatton. That was an outrageous four. Talk about drive for show, putt for dough.

Image source, Getty Images

Important breathing room for Tyrrell Hatton, who holes a 12-footer for birdie to get to one under. The cut line is currently at one over.

Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler look unimpressed with their third shots.

DeChambeau has the best part of 25 feet left for birdie and can't find the cup from there. Par for the two-time US Open champion.

And Scheffler FINALLY sinks a birdie putt and is four under now.

The 14th is playing a fraction under 600 yards today. But it's a par-five hole and that means birdie opportunity.

First things first. Get the drive in the fairway.

Tommy Fleetwood splits the middle. 340 yards taken off the hole. Jordan Spieth is with him, 15 yards shorter.

Jon Rahm is left and in the rough. 275 yards from there for the Spaniard. It'll all be about the lie.

Bryson DeChambeau is short of the green in two on the par-five 14th, while Tyrrell Hatton and Scottie Scheffler are also not yet on the putting surface.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

Bryson loves it. I think it is great. His interactions - every player can learn from that. He is the king of that ringwalk.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Francesco Molinari, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after reaching the halfway mark at four under par:

"Two good days. Today, playing in the afternoon was more challenging than yesterday. It was a different challenge for sure.

"We saw a completely different course with the switch in wind direction. A lot of thinking out on the tee boxes to decide what to do. Played well and looking forward to the weekend.

"I love when it gets baked out like this, and it is windy and firm, and you have to think your way around the course. I am having fun. It is a fair challenge.

"It is firm, but you still get rewards for good shots, which is what we want to see. Of course, I want to do well.

"Everyone in the field wants to do well. It is important in these conditions to keep it light and accept that you're not going to play perfect golf, because nobody is. If you can have fun while doing it, then all the better."

Oliver Wilson
Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think everyone around this green was willing that in for Tommy Fleetwood. It looked destined to go there, but it just snuck past.

Jon Rahm is hitting a lot of good quality shots, but he just needs to take advantage. He is doing everything right at the moment.

Image source, Reuters

Par for Tommy Fleetwood after his putt comes up just under a couple of feet short. Gasps from the fans in the stands.

Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth also tap in after birdie efforts of their own.

Fine margins at Royal Birkdale.

Image source, Getty Images

Bryson DeChambeau is having a bit of fun with the crowd around the 14th tee while he waits to hit his tee shot on the long par five.

He gets some pantomime boos when he picks an iron out from his bag, then goes through a few clubs asking for the crowd's opinion.

DeChambeau gets some laughs as he then pulls out an umbrella.

Eventually the driver comes out and the American crunches it down the middle of the fairway.

Tommy Fleetwood hits the top of the green with a solid iron from slap bang in the middle of the fairway at the 13th.

It looks putt-able. Can he nab a birdie?

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

Wherever the Open rolls into town, there is always a huge sense of local pride among the communities who throw open their doors to welcome the golfing world.

Everyone in Birkdale has an anecdote to tell, whether they’re turning the clock back to 2017, 2008, 1998 or even further.

The landlady of our rented accommodation goes back to 1976 - another scorcher, incidentally - when her mother was a scorer for... Seve Ballesteros

Apparently she was assigned to the swashbuckling Spaniard and had to look the other way when the great man nipped into the bushes when nature called.

What a claim to fame!

Scottie Scheffler's birdie putt from 12-15 feet follows the same pattern as probably his past five or six holes.

One birdie and 12 pars so far today for the world number one.

Bryson DeChambeau, meanwhile, is inside Scheffler's ball in two but his birdie putt doesn't break at all and hangs well right of the cup.

Tyrrell Hatton completes a trio of pars - but he'll feel much happier about his four after finding trouble off the tee.

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

We know what Tyrrell Hatton is like. He is a bit of a hothead. He has got to keep a lid on it here because it could get away from him very easily.

After dropping a shot on 12, Tyrrell Hatton finds trouble off the tee on 13.

From the rough, he finds a greenside bunker, and he'll have about five feet left for par.

Crucial that he doesn't go back-to-back bogeys here.

Oliver Wilson
Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live

Fantastic effort from Jon Rahm. He is playing solid and it was a really good tee shot. Nice and aggressive from him.