Scottie Scheffler’s route down the 18th includes a tour of a fairway bunker, taking in the sights on his first visit to these parts. He clips out of the sand and then spits a 65-yard wedge up on to the dancefloor.

Can he do-si-do down for a four? Playing partner Jordan Spieth gives him a good read, failing to make his birdie putt from a similar spot...but Scheffler can’t make it stick. A bogey at the last and a 70 for Scheffler.

Two-under, though, is handy at this juncture.

Bob McIntyre would have been happy enough at +1 overnight, thinking a good round today could set him up for a weekend title charge after winning the Scottish Open last weekend. Alas, it’s all gone wrong, rather, on the first, finding rough with drive and approach and then up against the wall of one of those devilishly deep bunkers.

And in the sand he will stay as he cloths his effort into the brickwork! A nightmare. He pops it out at the second attempt but an opening seven sends him tumbling down the leaderboard.

Better news for Justin Rose, though - he’s made that short birdie putt and is up into outright third all alone.

There is some very, very good golf being played out there. Conditions are far from easy with the wind up, and scoring, on the whole, is beginning to slow as a result, but Justin Rose tattoos the seventh flag with a delicious approach. He should gobble that birdie up.

Shane Lowry is into the clubhouse with a two-shot lead! It’s all clicking for the 2019 champion, watching his birdie putt on the last crawl in the front door to seal a 69 and take him to -7. Superb!

A handy one to have for Justin Rose, salvaging par on the sixth from distance. Still blemish-free, the Englishman - everyone else has a bogey at least to mark their card over the first two days. Impressive.

Tyrrell Hatton hit out at Royal Troon after a difficult first round at The Open, suggesting that the Ayrshire links course has been made overly long and is no longer enjoyable to play.

Deft hands out of the sand from Scottie Scheffler, chopping out to leave himself an inviting putt to climb to three-under. And in it goes! He joins Justin Rose three back.

Deft hands out of the sand from Scottie Scheffler, chopping out to leave himself an inviting putt to climb to three-under. And in it goes! He joins Justin Rose three back.

Shane Lowry is dialled in. Picture perfect up the 18th, sending a low iron scutting along the firm fairway.

So close to a miracle putt for our leader on 17, Shane Lowry’s long-range effort looking pretty all the way. An inch to the left, in the end.