Image source, Getty Images

Well that's a shame.

After Tommy Fleetwood rolls in for a three, Ludvig Aberg and Rory McIlroy fail with their birdie tries from seven and five feet respectively.

The approach shots deserved better.

Sam Stevens is suddenly back in the mix and is in the growing group that is joint second, four shots behind leader Wyndham Clark.

Successive birdies are definitely a good way of leaping up the leaderboard.

A nine-footer on the par-three 11th - currently playing as the second hardest hole on the course - and a 35-footer on the 12th get the American motoring.

Harry Higgs goes long over the back of the 14th green - good things don't usually happen when you fly the greens here.

He actually does well to get it to 10 feet but he can't get the putt to drop, so instead gives back a shot with his first bogey of the day.

Hmm, that'll sting for Alex Fitzpatrick as he misses from inside five feet for par at the sixth.

Two birdies and two bogeys so far today means he remains at +1 for the tournament.

They have it surrounded at the ninth!

Superb approaches from Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg and Rory McIlroy set up three gilt-edged birdie shouts.

All within 10 feet I'd say. I'm backing all three of them to convert.

Don't let me down, lads.

We have some photo evidence Darren is in the Dominican Republic [21:14 BST].

I've not gone through the metadata nor carried out the usual stringent BBC checks, but I'm confident that the scenery behind him is not Portsmouth, so that's good enough for me at this stage.

Enjoy!

Image source, Getty Images

Wyndham Clark is almost guaranteed to hold the solo 36-hole lead at this stage, but an interesting queue of contenders is forming behind the 2023 champion with six players four back at three under.

They include former US Open winners Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick and two-time major champion Xander Schauffele.

And a couple of surprise packages, too. Nicely poised.

A bogey-free front nine safely navigated for Tyrrell Hatton.

He was three over for holes eight and nine yesterday so pocketing two pars there today is considerably better.

Can he make up any more ground in the second half of his round?

Erm, not sure what Sam Burns' golf ball has hit on the ninth green, but when faced with a long par putt he may have put a bit too much heat on it, as it went steaming towards the hole.

But the ball has then hit a stone or pitch mark or something substantial as it takes a big hop up into the air, which takes a bit of pace off and just straightens it up enough to then roll into the hole!

That's a massive par save but Burns can't believe what's just happened - or maybe he can't believe he didn't see whatever that huge obstacle was in his path.

Another approach that will frustrate Scottie Scheffler.

From just 84 yards out, you would have expected him to leave it much closer, but the ball spins back down the green.

Two putts later, it's another par.

Image source, Getty Images

A club twirl from Rory McIlroy as he punches a short iron into the wind at the eighth.

It lands about 15 feet short and that's an uphill putt for his second birdie of the day. Makes it!

McIlroy moves to three under and into a tie for second, four behind Wyndham Clark.

Ludvig Aberg is known for hitting moonballs and he produces another towering approach here, straight over the flag, but can't make his three. Tommy Fleetwood also settles for a par.

Great stuff from Alex Fitzpatrick as he moves to level par with a birdie at the gettable fifth hole.

Big brother Matt is in a share of second, but his younger sibling is creeping up behind him.

Image source, Getty Images

Here comes Sam Burns, making a big move with three birdies in his opening eight holes seeing him make a move northwards up the leaderboard.

One of the best putters on the PGA Tour, Burns has rolled in birdie putts from 16 and 19 feet so far but he's been electirc with the irons as well - and is currently 12th in the field today for approach play.

I'm 75% thinking Darren is pulling my leg [re 20:50 BST]

Your thumbs will tell me if you're having the above...

"SIT!"

Rory McIlroy's ball just about listens and he's safely onboard the putting surface at the devilishly difficult par-three seventh.

That's more than can be said for Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg, both of whom miss the green. The Swede comes up short but knocks his chip stone dead for a par, while Fleetwood splashes out of the bunker to seven feet and drains the putt.

McIlroy races his 40-footer a good four feet past but he carefully prods the return effort in the front door.

Gavin Andrews
BBC Sport NI at Shinnecock Hills

The roars are echoing around Shinnecock Hiills. Whether it’s birdies from the big names or the USA v Australia World Cup game in the hospitality tents, the fans have found their voices.

More than 20,000 spectators are here on Long Island today and over half are with McIlroy, Fleetwood and Aberg. The rest are with Scheffler - the chants of U-S-A have begun!

Image source, Getty Images

An excellent tee shot on the short 17th leaves two-time champion Brooks Koepka with an eight-footer for birdie and the American duly rolls in his first of the day.

He's in joint 51st right now. The top 60 and ties make it through to the weekend, so he's got plenty to do in his remaining 10 holes.

A few international visitors have heard my plea.