The Open 2012: Third round as it happened

Righto, that's me for the day - see you tomorrow, and let's hope it's windy...

Graeme McDowell after a round of 67 left him seven under: "That was a good round. The first six or seven holes I sensed the tournament slipping away. I didn't get out of the blocks fast enough and the first six or seven holes are difficult. I was struggling, had to dig deep, show patience and I'm very proud with the way I played.

"I hit a lot of quality golf shots form 14 and hopefully put myself back in contention. It's nice to be in the final group at the Open, it's what I've always dreamed of."

Tiger Woods, three-time Open champion: "They were tough pins today on slopes and on top of mounds, I just found it a little more difficult for some reason. I had a pretty poor start but I said I would take even par as I came round the turn. I have to go out there and post the best score I can. Whatever it is it is in terms of conditions I have to go out there and execute my game-plan."

Open leader Adam Scott on BBC Two: "I'm feeling great, it was good solid day and I did what I needed to do. I've never played in the final pairing at a major and was really excited.

"With every player it's a team effort and Steve Williams has been great, we are working well together and he's a great motivator.

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow, I'm in a great position and am hopefully a good round of golf will make it hard for the other guys. It's almost impossibe not to think about playing tomorrow but I'll do everything I normally do."

Adam Scott is bidding to become the fourth Australian winner of the Open, after Greg Norman (1993, 1986), Ian Baker-Finch (1991) and Peter Thomson (1958, '56, '55, '54). Flying the flag for the United Kingdom and Ireland is Graeme McDowell, who is four shots back, while other home players are rather thin on the ground. Tiger lurking, five off the lead, and there are five other major winners in the top 10 - Zach Johnson, Els, Bubba Watson, Oosthuizen and Calcavecchia. It will be well worth watching.

Andrew Coltart on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Just desserts for Snedeker for hanging in there through a tough day and the pressure will be back on the other players now."

Scott and Snedeker on in two at 18, no dramas at all. They make their way to the dancefloor, rich applause, contrasting fortunes - Snedeker four over for the day, Scott two under, the Aussie's to lose it seems...

They've gone round in about three hours 50 today, which by modern standards is supersonic. Olesen is able to putt, his ball jumped a few feet from the clubhouse wall, and on he rolls it. Woods with a putt for a 69... once again, he hasn't hit it hard enough, and he's in for a 70 and six under overall. Frustration writ large across his face, he's well aware he might have left himself too much to do on the final day...

Hearty applause for Woods and Olesen as they make their way to the 18th green and Woods twirls his cap and repays them with a sheepish smile. Scott and Snedeker safely away on 18...

Snedeker and Scott with very neat up-and-downs on 17 and on they march to the 18th tee. Olesen overcooks his approach at 18, his ball bouncing back off the clubhouse. Woods safely on in two.

Snedeker splashes out of the sand - literally, there was standing water - and that's a doozy, his ball finishing a few feet from the cup. Scott in a kidney-shaped trap next door and that's even better, that's within a foot.

Snedeker finds sand with his approach at 17, and I think Scott's done the same - the Iceman melteth?

Wind-wise, we're expecting a southwesterly tomorrow, strengthening progressively throughout the afternoon - Lytham, which has been on its back all week having its tummy tickled, might suddenly turn nasty. Snedeker pings his drive down the middle on 17 as we cut to Paul Lawrie on 18, third shot into the green and he's got a long and winding one for par.

Former professional Mark Roe on BBC Radio 5 Live:

"This has been one of the most beautiful afternoons I can remember out on the Links, but I have a feeling tomorrow it may just bite back."

McDowell playing some sweet golf down the stretch and here he is arrowing his approach into the middle on 18. Olesen's birdie attempt misses left on 16, the Dane remains four under.

Ernie with this sneaky putt downhill on 18... looks in all the way but nips right at the last minute and horseshoes out. But that's a round of 68 for five under and six off the lead. Scott misses his birdie putt on 15, taps in to stay 11 under.

McDowell on the par-four 17th, three wood, and he pings it down the middle. Big grin, he's revelling in this. Woods has got a roller-coaster of a putt on 15 and he's left himself a five-footer for par. Here's Luke Donald, the world number one, in with a respectable 71 - but respectable isn't good enough to win majors, you've got to play out of your skin.

Par for Scott on 14, he stays four shots clear of Tiger. Snedeker back to five under, five over for his round. Ernie has nicked a shot back on 17, he's five under and into a tie for fifth.

Scott follows up that monster tee shot on 14 with a poor wedge, his ball dropping off the front. McDowell with a putt to get to seven under... that was in all the way but he didn't hit it. If the wheels came off for Snedeker a couple of hours ago someone just set him on fire - a duffed chip at 14, as in properly duffed, like I might do. Obviously, I wouldn't follow up by almost chipping in, but that's still another shot gone.

A little bit of background on Denmark's young slugger Thorbjorn Olesen for you as he continues to hang around at the top of the leaderboard on six under. The 22-year-old won his first European Tour title with victory over England's Chris Wood at the Sicilian Open in April after second-placed finishes at the Italian Open and Open de France. The world number 112 likes a bit of footy, with FC Copenhagen and Manchester United his teams of choice.

Snedeker pulls his tee shot into some nonsense on 14 before Scott pulls out the pounder and crackerjacks a drive fully 340 yards down the middle. Bill Haas of the United States in with a two-under 68, three under overall. Woods leaves his birdie attempt short on 14, remains four behind the leader.

"It is a commanding lead for Adam Scott. A lot of players say they are not scoreboard watchers, but it it so big here that he cannot miss it. He will know where they stand and this is where caddy Steve Williams comes into play. He will be whispering into Adam's ear keeping him calm and telling him that heart of the green is just perfect."

Graeme's father Kenny McDowell on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Graeme's putter came under a bit of pressure earlier on - he's had a wee bit of tuition before he came out here and it seems to be paying off."

Snedeker with a cute pitch into 13, could very well make birdie from there. Els in trouble again at 15, having to chop out of a wet bunker. Olesen in all sorts of bother in that trap on 14 - his ball pops out, has a wee look, and pops back in again... next up he catches the lip, but at least he's out of there...

Scott on tee at the 355-yard par four 13th and he pings a five iron down the middle. Donald back to level for the week, another major when it never happened for the world number one. McDowell rattles one into the centre of the green with a hybrid on 15, he could do with another birdie before the day is out. Simon Dyson of England in with a 73...

Tiger going about his work quietly out there and that wedge shot is nothing to noise off about, 10 yards too short into 13. Olesen with his second into 13 and that's much better, pop in that 10-footer and he'll be seven under and tied for second.

Woods with another iron on the 355-yard 13th and he drills one down the middle. Scott leaves himself a tester on 12 as Snedeker stops the rot with a par. Scott makes that tester, doesn't look like he's going anywhere.

Graeme McDowell has a chance to get to five under at 13 and here's Olesen on 11 - 15-footer, straight down the middle to get to six under par and outright fourth. Woods makes a safe par to remain one ahead of him... Peter Alliss on rappers? "They look funny and make strange noises." Indeed, Peter, indeed...

Zach Johnson, who finished on five under after a 66, the best round of the day so far: "That was a good way to end the day after a couple of mishaps but it is nice to get one back on the 18th and hopefully gives me momentum for tomorrow.

"Being aggressive here is knowing you have the right yardage. I will continue to do what I do and with these conditions, you don't know what will happen."

Woods with his second into 11... overcooks it ever so sightly... Scott marmalises his drive down the middle on 10, Snedeker yanks his into some jungle...

Scott is making them disappear from all parts - he's just bent in another monster on 10 to remain 11 under. If he's not making birdies, he's making 30-footers for par. Snedeker in for a par when birdie was makeable... Els rather nibbles at his birdie attempt on 13, I believe, stays five under...

Scott tugs his drive on 10 into a trap, as I should report that Snedeker did indeed drop a shot at the ninth, meaning Scott has now cleaved open a four-shot lead. Ernie making some clutch putts today, another eight-footer for par on 12. McDowell level through 11, grinding out a score, seven off the lead.

Adam Scott comes up short with his long-range birdie attempt at nine but stays 11 under. Stevie Williams getting excited - let's see how much he's laughing when he meets Tiger on the first tee tomorrow afternoon... Tiger putting across the 10th... close, so close, but sliding by...

Scott safely on at the par-three ninth, Snedeker could hand him a four-shot lead here, he finds the sand. It's a head-high trap and all he can do is pop it 15 feet by. Woods with a blind approach into 10 and that's pretty good from there, another chance for a birdie, albeit from some way out.

Zach Johnson coming up 18 and that's a doozy, a wedge to within a couple of feet. McDowell quits on his birdie putt at 10, stays four under. Woods at the par-three ninth and that's a Georgia peach for another eminently makeable birdie putt.

Louis Oosthuizen, our 2010 champion, in with a 68 for two under overall. Scott on the 416-yard eighth, along the railway line, and that's safely down the middle. Olesen has a sizable pair on him on this evidence - two up-and-downs and a 15-foot birdie putt on eight to get back to five under. Woods with a 15-footer for three straight birdies... didn't hit it, he stays six under.

The field, as expected, has concertinaed and here's Ken Brown on the seventh green with his mini-football... Meanwhile, back in the real world, Snedeker pops his chip to within a couple of feet, should be a birdie from there. Scott for eagle from 20 feet... gives it a chance, misses just right...

Snedeker's wheels are rattling all of a sudden - shot gone at the fifth and he's now found his first bunker of the week on six. Ernie missed that makeable birdie putt on nine, stays five under. Snedeker right up against the face, looks like he's punting it sideways...

Still nothing to report of note from the front two with Adam Scott and leader Brandt Snedeker both plateauing with four consecutive pars each in their opening holes. Ben Dirs is back in the building and at his keyboard to take over. Bye from me.

Brandt Snedeker has failed to convert either of his two previous halfway leads on the PGA Tour into victories. No sign of any shakes infecting his game yet though as he holds par at the second. Adam Scott misses a decent chance on the same green to join the leader on 10 under.

Bubba Watson's hot streak has chilled dramatically along the back nine with a bogey at 14th, followed by a double at the 15th. The US Masters champ has a chance to scrape back a stroke with a makeable birdie putt at the 16th, but the little blighter rides the lip and refuses to drop. Two under overall.

Adam Scott is safe and sound from tee to fairway on the second. Brandt Snedeker fidgits around like he forgot to visit the little boys' room before setting out on the 18 as he prepares to blast off. Nothing to worry about though for the leader, who chases up to alongside Scott on the fairway,

Righto, with everyone out on the course, I'm going to have a little break - here's Mike Henson for a while...

Bubba with his third into 15 - parachutes in but it's not mission accomplished, he'll do well to save par from there. Only two men yet to tee off, Australia's Adam Scott and leader Brandt Snedeker. Here's Scott... blocks it, finds sand to the right... here's Snedeker - no bogeys this week - and he's safely on.

Lawrie on the second tee, having parred the first... bombs it... Bubba let a shot go at 14 and he's followed up with an iffy drive on 15, in danger of letting a fine round slip away. Here's young Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark on the first... down the middle... he's playing with a gentleman called Tiger Woods, also down the middle...

Donald for birdie on three - did I say four? If so, I was wrong - and he's bent that in to get to -3. McDowell with his second into the second... rattles it through the green... Donald safely away at the 392-yard par-four fourth...

Matt Kuchar, he of the flat swing, on the first and he is safely on the dancefloor. The American playing with 1999 champion Paul Lawrie and the Scot gets inside him. I like Matt Kuchar - always wears a vague smile, as if he's just remembered a lovely picnic he had with a lover, back in his Salad Days.

... Bubba's found nonsense off the tee on 14 - just when you think you've got this course licked, it'll pull your pants down and give you a spanking. Donald with a peach of an approach at four - grimaces at it, no idea why, it's beautiful. Zach Johnson's birdie putt at nine horseshoes out, he stays three under.

Second-placed Adam Scott: "I played well and we have a nice day for it again. I am hoping for more of the same and to stay in touch with the leader.

"If he gets off to a hot start, I might have to adjust my game plan but it will be about survival out there."

Here's the free-swinging Jason Dufner - 'The Waggler', that's what I like to call him - safely on at the first. He's playing with Graeme McDowell - 'G-Mac', that's what some people like to call him, although not me - and he, too, is safely into the heart.

Steve Stricker, who I thought was a ridiculous bet at 66-1 before a ball was hit, has dropped a shot at the first to slide to +1. As, indeed, did his playing partner James Morrison of England. Donald cosies up his birdie putt at the second, stays two under.

Southport's Matthew Baldwin was in the 11th group out this morning, but only the fourth player to register a sub-par round at the recorders' tent.

The 26-year-old, who is now one under par after 54 holes in the wake of his 69, believes he could have made more inroads into the top of the leaderboard had his short game been better.

"Tee to green it was fantastic, the best I've played, but I was poor on the greens again," he told BBC Radio Merseyside. I'm going off to hit some putts now to work on it."

Zach Johnson stiffs an approach to within a few feet of the flag at eight, he's got that to get to three under after a birdie at seven. Bubba playing it safe on 14, safely away with an iron. Ernie for birdie on one... left-to-righter, doesn't quite come back enough, he stays three under.

Leader Brandt Snedeker, who tees off at 1520: "I had a bit of luck in first couple of days but I put myself in good spots too. I am excited to be out here, no negative thoughts and that might be the secret.

"I just want to hit the fairway and I am putting good and hopefully let that shine through. I feel good and we have a long couple of days ahead of us so I am looking forward to that.

Donald made a safe par at the first and here's Ernie Els teeing it up behind him - there's a 65 out there somewhere, could it be him? Perhaps, that's a doozy...

Rory McIlroy, after his disappointing round of 73, which left him five over par: "I couldn't really muster up anything out there today. It wasn't difficult to get myself up for it but it is hard to keep yourself going when you know you are out of the tournament.

"There are definitely chances out there for a low score but it is tough. The scores aren't great out there today, but you need to control your ball and keep it on the fairway."

Graeme McDowell, who tees off at 14:50 alongside Jason Dufner: "There are great crowds here this week, and I am looking forward to the test today. The key today is to stay out of trouble from the tee. The pins have been difficult to putt to this week, and just stay patient with the putting. If it going to be tough tomorrow with the weather conditions changing, you need to be in touch. I cannot afford to be any more than three or four behind going in."

Another bird for Calcavecchia, he's two under after three holes and two under for the week. Simon Khan of England has sneaked into the red, one under through three holes. And here's Calc's second into the par-four fourth... not much cop... he's got his wife on his bag, which is nice, if not a little bit dangerous...

Thorbjorn Olesen, who tees off with Tiger Woods at 15:10 BST: "It has been my dream to play with probably the greatest player ever to play the game. I will try my best out there. Maybe I will be a bit intimidated on the first tee but then I need to get on with it.

"It is difficult not to watch what he is doing but I need to keep away from the rough and the bunkers. It is a tough golf course, I just need to keep the ball in play."

Thorbjorn Olesen, the 22-year-old phenom from Denmark, is playing with Tiger today, a man he's never even met before. Named after his father's hero, former snooker world champion Cliff Thorburn, and hopefully he won't be awed: won the Sicilian Open, he should be OK.

Harrington and McIlroy playing into the 18th green... Padraig slap-bang in the middle of the fairway, not much wind, although this is his third shot... all over the flag, should save par. Bubba stiffs his approach at 10 to within six feet...

World number one Luke Donald, two under for the tournament, begins his round alongside Steven Alker at 14:30 BST: "I have been working hard on my game and have made some good improvements. I am excited about the next two days and I hope I get in the mix.

"I want to continue to hit the fairways and greens and to give myself options, to slowly catch up to the leaders. I am looking forward to the challenge. There has been great crowds support, I wish I played a little bit more but I will look forward to the 'Luuuke' shouts."

England's Ross Fisher has been speaking after a disappointing run of five bogeys on the back nine left him three over for the day and seven over for the tournament: "Plain and simple, I just didn't play well enough," he told BBC Surrey. "I was one under after nine and playing nicely but I hit too many loose shots and didn't hole anything again."

Mark Calcavecchia all over the pin at the first, that should be a birdie from there. The 1989 champion is playing with Romero of Argentina, who almost bagged the Claret Jug at Carnoustie in 2007. Martin Laird is stuck in reverse - par-bogey-bogey and he's blocked his tee shot into some nonsense on four. What's worse, he can't find it. Poulter putting downhill on eight... misses just left, will stay level...

Oosthuizen looking smooth as an eel out there, putting-wise, the 2010 champion kicking off birdie-par-par. Another Saffer, Garth Mulroy, drains a monster on six to get to -1. Italy's Francesco Molinari, loser of a play-off at the Scottish Open, birdied seven, is one under through 10, level overall.

South Africa's Thomas Aiken (-4): "Last two days I have played nicely but it is about keeping the ball in play on this course. There is not much wind but it is still a brutal course. The course can play different depending on conditions. The first two days played similarly which was good for us, but there is still a lot of golf left to play, so the tournament on starts on Sunday on the back nine."

Tiger stalking past the Lytham clubhouse, although he's not off until 1510. Padraig on the short 16th, straight into Seve's car park. McIlroy gives it some humpty, just short and right of the green. Qualifier Matthew Baldwin bogeys the last but that's a nice round of 69 for +1 overall.

Scotland's Martin Laird and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn par the first to remain in that large group on one under. Vijay Singh might be one of the oldest swingers in town but he's putting a decent round together today, in fact he's finished - in with a 68, level for the week. Poulter involved in another lengthy discussion with his bagman and in the end he just hacks it out of the rough stuff. Not sure what that was all about, why didn't he just say: "Just hack it out of the rough stuff"?

US PGA champion Keegan Bradley, who finished on one over after a round of 68: "I have played some links courses in America but they don't compare to here in the UK. The atmosphere is really fun but the course is not when then wind is blowing, it is a tough test."

No birdies at six so far today and here's Poulter popping in for par and Bubba doing the same to stay one under. Former Masters champion Zach Johnson putting from afar on the first - no dice (whatever that means), the American stays -1. Bubba takes a five iron on the seventh - all very well playing it safe if you play it safe, but Bubba finds some scrub. Then again, Poulter finds a trap with his driver, so if Lytham hasn't got you one way, it's got you another...

Only two men currently on course who are under par for the week - Bubba and Oosthuizen, old foes from Augusta - so they're not exactly tearing Lytham a new hole this afternoon. Huge conflab between Poulter and his caddie before his approach at six - decent enough, although not on the dancefloor. The wind tugging away at the flags and keeping scoring honest.

Yorkshire's Simon Dyson, who is on one under and tees off at 1410, tells BBC Sport: "It is a beautiful day and I am looking forward to it. I woke up this morning not feeling too good. I felt rotten went I went to bed last night and it got worse when I got up. Hoepfully I will get better through the day, though."

England's Matthew Baldwin is two under through 14 and level for the week while compatriot Ross Fisher is in with a 74 for +7 overall. Here's 1989 champion Mark Calcavecchia - the 52-year-old is one under and tied for 15th, he'll be off soon. Two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen on the first tee and he's tugged an iron into a green-side trap. Another US Open champion, Geoff Ogilvy, finds the heart.

Bubba slings Poulter back a divot the size of Wales after the Englishman's solid approach, chance of a par after finding a bunker off the tee. Bubba stays one under, Poulter makes that 10-footer disappear to stay level - neither man out of this quite yet.

Poulter with an iron off the tee on three and that's not too clever, his ball galloping into a fairway trap. Bradley in with a 68 for +1 overall.

Blue skies over Lytham, bit of a haze, a lick of wind, but not much more than that. Harrington on the 11th and he's leaked that miles right into some tyre tracks. Rory McIlroy, currently five over, rattles his drive down the middle. Keegan Bradley, the PGA champion, is putting a decent round together, two under today, and here he is with a solid approach into 18.

Donaldson escapes with a par at the first, courtesy of a clutch eight-footer, he stays level. Poulter for a bird at two... long-ranger, leaves it three feet short. Bubba with a shorter one and his breaks too soon - the Masters champion remains one under.

Here's England's Ian Poulter with his approach at two... flirts with the green-side trap to the right of the green before threading back onto the short stuff. Bubba into heart...

Lee Westwood, after finishing his third round on four over: "It's always nice to play with Tom Watson, the first time I have since 1996. It never gets boring playing with Tom, he's such a gentleman, a great ambassador and still competitive. The courses are getting a bit longer maybe when you play into the wind, but he hits it lovely.

"The pins are a little bit trickier, 13 is particularly interesting, but the coure is very scoreable if you play well, 64 or 65, I'm just not playing well enough, not really any apsect of my game is strong enough. The greens are playing a a bit quicker too, that took some getting used to."

Many thanks Sham, Ben Dirs now in the seat. And I join you as Donaldson of Wales tees off at the first and he's ended up in a green-side trap. Donaldson playing with Jimenez and the Spaniard finds the guts of the green.

Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson play their first shots on the 481 yard second hole and they make their way down. This is where I make my way out, leaving you in the capable hands of the main man Benjamin Dirs who is now in the live text hot seat.

Unlucky for Rory McIlroy. An attempt at birdie on the ninth finds the ball dying on the edge of the hole, and it does not drop in. The crowd try their best to suck it in, but to no avail.

Par for Ian Poulter on the first, nice little birdie starter for Bubba Watson.

Ian Poulter is getting under way on the first, following in behind Masters champion Bubba Watson. A 'whoosh' comes off the ball as the leftie strike a superb tee-shot and is in prime position for a birdie. Hertfordshire's Poulter can only hope for par, as he has left himself with a long putt.

Both Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy recover well and are in good position for par on the eighth, but Harrington drops a shot as he is unable to down a putt from the edge of the green. He looks bemused as to what went wrong on that hole. Looks easy for Rory..but he misses! Another dropped shot, he looks resigned to defeat now.

Padraig Harrington will not be happy with that, skipping off into the rough. Rory McIlroy plays, what looks like, a beautiful approach bang onto the green, but the ball rolls back, and back, and back off the green and down the slope. Not going the Northern Irishman's way this morning, he gives wry grin.

Harrington goes left on the eighth, and his heart skips a beat for a second as a ball bounces in the rough, but luckily bounces out into the flat stuff. McIlroy plays a much better tee shot, finding the middle of the fairway.

McIlroy does well with the putter, stroking it up the hill leaving himself a short putt on the five par. Harrington pars too and is still on one-over-par for the championship.

Harrington gets to the green with his third and McIlroy tries the same, but gets too much purchase and sees the ball roll off the back of the green. He shakes his head as he dejectedly makes his way to play his fourth shot.

Oh deary me. Rory McIlroy does the same as Harrington and both are deep in the rough. Problems on this par five.

Five-time Open champion Tom Watson gets a generous round of applause from the crowd as he makes his way to the green on the final hole. Lee Westwood is not too far behind him as their third rounds near an end.

Oh no, Padraig in trouble. Drifts the tee-shot right on the seventh and finds himself in the thick stuff.

John Daly, puffing at a cigarette, takes a free drop in a flooded bunker on the 17th. Ever the extravagent, he seems to be wearing a kaleidoscope style of pants today. Wonder if he and Jimenez have smoking sessions together when they have a few days off?

McIlroy finds himself on the edge of the rough on the sixth, but plays well to get on the green. Big ask for birdie, but should make par, and does so. He needs to start picking up shots, though.

We catch a glimpse of Miguel Angel Jimenez on the practice course, chipping away at a pile of balls. Of course, his cigar is not too far away, being kept in his golf ball holder. He will have to be careful not to strike that, otherwise it will be a waste of a perfectly good Cuban.

Another par for Harrington on the fifth. McIlroy crouches either side of the hole to find the line, but it is not use as he misses par putt. Another bogey for the Northern Irishman and not a good start to the morning for him. What was that he was saying, "I'd like to get back to minus three or minus four." Going to need a stunning round for that to happen now, he is currently on four-over-par.

But Westwood finds his way back onto the green with a lovely chip, applying a little backspin on the ball to leave himself a six-foot putt..which he misses, leaving himself a tap in for bogey.

Lee Westwood on the 16th, after a birdie on the previous hole, overcooks the tee-shot which bounces on the green and flies off the other side. He is in a bit of a pickle here.

McIlroy's lengthy putt attempts drifts right of the hole and stops around six foot away. It is a tricky one for par, which he misses and the Northern Irishman drops his first of the day. Harrington downs it to stay on one-over-par.

Padraig Harrington finds himself in the rough after his opening shot, but plays a beautiful second straight onto the green. Rory McIlroy has a partial view of the green from his position and his second shot hangs on to the back edge.

England's Lee Westwood is through 14 and has birdied the 11th and 13th to go level for the day, and three-over-par for the championship. Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts, who has a horrific second round after an impressive first, is on the comeback trail, having birdied the second.

Fijian Vijay Singh has bogeyed two of his opening six holes to go four-over-par for the championship.

McIlroy and Harrington on the third. The flag is wafting slighty in the breeze and Padraig plays a nice shot onto the green, which he follows up with a close putt to par. "Come on Rory" shouts a young chap in the crowd, as the Northern Irishman follows Harrington by parring too.

Rory McIlroy has parred the second but Padraig Harrington has birdied to move to one-over-par.

David Howell, former world number nine, on BBC One: "For Brandt Snedeker to not drop a shot is incredible, not only in one, but two rounds. I don't think anyone thought that was possible. He has had a little luck with the weather so will that continue?"

England's Matthew Baldwin has had a mixed start to his opening three holes; bogey, birdie, par.

And Rory holes his third to par first, which will give him some confidence after a wayward start. Partner Padraig Harrington gets the first in three too.

Rory McIlroy is off and has dragged his first tee-shot a little left, missing the green but most importantly, missing the two bunkers. He chips the second nicely, leaving himself a five foot putt for par.

BBC Sport's Rob Hodgetts is out on the course with Ken Brown, who is filming snippets for 'Ken on the Course'. You can follow all the excitement of that on Rob's Twitter feed.

Lee Westwood and Tom Watson both through nine. Neither will be happy with their rounds, with the Englishman currently on five-over-par and the American on six over.

Dutchman Joost Luiten, who came out first today at 08:10 BST is already half way through the course and he is not doing too badly. Birdies on the seventh and eighth has put him four-over-par.

The last pairing of Brandt Snedeker and Adam Scott are not scheduled to be out until 15:20 BST. They're probably still asleep while others are up on the course getting their rounds under way.

Meanwhile, American Chad Campbell has dropped two shots already today, going five-over-par and Australian Brendan Jones seems like he has not woken up yet, bogeying the first.

England Ross Fisher is out, along with Korean KJ Choi. Solid starts for both, draining the first hole in three to par. The American pairing of Gary Woodland and Charles Howell III do the same, as the players come filtering out of the clubhouse at 10-minute intervals.

Last year's champion Darren Clarke failed to make the cut and so relinquishes his hold on the Claret Jug. Another biggie, Phil Mickelson, who finished second in 2011, also failed to progress having finished on a dismal +11.

Clarke's fellow countryman Rory McIlroy, currently on two-over and heading out at 10:20 BST, all but ended his chances of success in the championship this year after a 75 yesterday.

He was still optimistic of his chance though, stating: "Obviously Snedeker is a little bit ahead at the minute, but if I can get back to minus three, minus four going into Sunday I'd still have a great chance."

The Northern Irishman is going to need a perfect round of golf today, then!

Woods is definitely looking like a rejuvenated man after all of his well-publicised problems. So far, he has looked focused with a determination to win his first major in more than four years.

Much like tennis star Roger Federer, who was written off after a barren spell to come back at Wimbledon 2012 and silence all his critics, Woods will be trying to silence the doubters who feel he is past his best.

Form is temporary, class is permanent which is why you would not bet against him to secure his 15th major title.

Aussie Adam Scott is on leader Snedeker's tail, though, one shot behind on nine-under-par. He stood on the verge of history in his opening round when he needed a birdie to set the first ever round of 62 in a major, but it was not to be as he bogeyed the 18th and had to settle for 64 to equal the course record.

Oh, and there is a certain Tiger Woods lurking in the background too, four shots off the lead on six-under. His superb chip for birdie on the final hole yesterday got him roaring again, and Snedeker will definitely need to be on his game to halt his fellow American's onslaught.

So, here we are. Into the weekend at the 141st Open Championship, this year being contested at Royal Lytham & St Annes. This is where all the top boys want to be and it is a virtually unknown American who sits at the top of the pile.

Snedeker, who on previous three Open visits has failed to make the cut, has ripped through the field so far without dropping a shot. Our man at Royal Lytham, Rob Hodgetts gives his low-down on Snedeker's

While he seems to be the man to catch, he needs to be aware of the fact that only 17 out of the last 44 men have gone on to lift the Claret Jug having led at the halfway mark.

"My mantra all week has been to get the ball on the greens as fast as possible. Once I'm on there I have a pretty good handle on the speed of the greens.

"I'm just going to try and keep doing that over the weekend."

The words of leader Brandt Snedeker after finishing on 10-under-par yesterday.