Three pars for the featured group at the par-three 17th.

Scottie Scheffler and Adam Scott are well poised, one shot off the leaders, while Bob MacIntyre will hope to find a spark on the front nine.

The difficult 18th is next up...

After two poor approach shots, Collin Morikawa and Martin Couvra scramble to make a five and remain under par.

Ludvig Aberg takes full advantage of his well-struck second though and knocks it in close with his third before tidying up for a birdie.

It would be a good time for the young Swede to hit form with the Ryder Cup around the corner.

Image source, SNS

England's Andy Sullivan leaves himself in a tricky spot at the par-three sixth - the 'stadium hole'.

He's short sided with a bunker between himself and the flag, but he holes out to great cheers from the stands.

Collin Morikawa attempts to muscle it out of the rough with a wood, but it appears to veer off-course towards the left.

Up next is Martin Couvra, who goes for a driver off the deck but tops it. Not pretty at all.

Ludvig Aberg fizzes it towards the green in a more straightforward fashion.

Bob MacIntyre rolls in his first birdie of the day - a much-needed boost for the defending champ.

Much easier putts for Scottie Scheffler and Adam Scott who move to within one shot of the leaders.

Martin Watt
BBC Sport Scotland at the Renaissance Club

That's a majestic up and down from Calum Hill to save par and stay joint top.

The fans in the grandstand behind the 18th green lap up their countryman's efforts.

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To the par-five 16th and this morning's featured group.

Bob MacIntyre chips out of the rough to leave 13ft for his birdie, while Adam Scott and Scottie Scheffler have makeable eagle putts to come.

Martin Watt
BBC Sport Scotland at the Renaissance Club

The 18th claims another victim as Haotong Li makes double bogey after finding trouble off the tee.

No such troubles for Jordan Smith, who holes a lovely birdie putt from 14 feet while fellow Englishman Aaron Rai posts par.

Collin Morikawa's tee shot is in some trouble off the tee. It may have just avoided the really thick stuff on the par-five 16th, though.

Ludvig Aberg and Martin Couvra have no such trouble, stripping it down the middle.

All three walk off the 15th with a par. Steady golf.

Ludvig Aberg was a couple of inches from a birdie, but can't grumble with a solid par there.

All three tee shots split the fairway on the par four 15th hole.

Morikawa is first to go and talks it over with his new caddie, Englishman Billy Foster, who is one of the most experienced in the game.

Foster, who has worked with the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Matt Fitzpatrick, is Morikawa's fourth caddie of the season.

The trio of approaches find the green.

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Watt
BBC Sport Scotland at the Renaissance Club

Nightmare finish to the front nine for Maverick McNealy as he tumbles from the top of the board.

He finds a fairway bunker on 18, can only chunk it out then is shy of the green in three.

An untidy chip and two putts later, the American walks off with a painful bogey and removes his hat to give his head a good scratch.

Playing partner Christian Bezuidenhout cards par to stay at three under.

A hole back, Scotland's Calum Hill and Padraig Harrington both make magnificent birdie twos to move into a share of the lead at four under.

Adam Scott is turning it on now, zipping a beautiful wedge shot just past the hole, leaving a simple birdie putt that he duly taps in.

Another birdie effort drifts by for Bob MacIntyre and it's a similar story for Scottie Scheffler, whose birdie putt has a bit too much pace.

The par three 14th is next, and all tee shots find the green.

Another birdie for Collin Morikawa moves him under par for the morning.

A couple of tidy pars for Ludvig Aberg and Martin Couvra.

Maverick McNealy still leads the field on four under after the American's blistering start, while two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington is just one shot back.

Scotland's Callum Hill - who won his second DP World Tour title earlier this year - is also on three under, as are Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Sepp Straka and Jake Knapp.

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Welcome to the party, Ludvig Aberg.

A pin-high attempt for Aberg catches the right of the cup before spinning round and dropping in. First birdie of the day for the Swede.

Collin Morikawa's pulls up agonisingly short, leaving him a gimme for par.

A similar story for Martin Couvra, who hits it short but saves par.

Adam Scott, come on down.

The Australian is a popular figure wherever he plays and he gets a generous round of applause as he finds the bottom of the cup from all of 40ft.

Bob MacIntyre and Scottie Scheffler can't convert from close range though and have to make do with par.

Image source, Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler shows why he's the leading player in the world with a delightful iron shot at the par-three 14th, which leaves him 10ft for birdie.

Bob MacIntyre has a closer look though, just short of the pin as he attempts to bounce back from his bogey on the previous hole.

Adam Scott isn't best pleased with his effort though. He's on the putting surface, but a long way away.

Collin Morikawa's iron play is some of the game's best, and he leaves himself a decent look at birdie with his approach into the 13th green.

Ludvig Aberg and Martin Couvra follow with similarly respectable attempts.

An easy green to find, but a difficult pin to attack as you risk a short-sided third from the back of the putting surface if you overcook it.

Scottie Scheffler's birdie putt comes up just short and he taps in for par, as does playing partner Adam Scott.

However, Bob MacIntyre's par putt from 13ft drifts left after the Scot slightly misreads the break.

The defending champion drops to one over.