A fan wearing a bucket hat puts his hands on his head while Tommy Fleetwood purses his lips.

The Englishman comes up an inch short of a 50-foot birdie putt at the third hole - he has to settle for par.

Jon Rahm does likewise from a similar distance. However, Jordan Spieth rolls in from 15 feet to go to two over.

Bryson DeChambeau plays the best tee shot of the trio to the par-three fourth and then sinks his birdie putt from inside 20 feet.

He's at four under and into a share of fifth spot.

But it's not good news for Tyrrell Hatton, whose par putt from 10 feet slides by the hole and the Englishman is back to even par for the tournament.

Dan Brown pays the price for visiting a greenside bunker on the 12th with a bogey.

Ken Brown explains why you want to avoid the sand in the video below.

• Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both shot rounds of 62 - equalling the lowest rounds ever at a men's major. Herbert leads on -8, with Burns three shots back.
• Overnight leader Jackson Suber improved to -6 with a round of 69, while fellow American Cameron Young is also on -6 following a 67 today.
• Rory McIlroy shot a three-under 67 to end one under for the tournament, meaning he'll be around for the weekend, but Matt Fitzpatrick and US Open champion Wyndham Clark are among the big names likely to miss the cut.
• Among those on the course right now: Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Tommy Fleetwood.

Oops! Viktor Hovland sprays a massive slice wide off the fifth tee, and sadly for the Norwegian there's some water down there and a load of reeds and hay - gnarly stuff.

So he reloads and goes three off the tee, his next effort dropping just short of the greenside bunkers. Not sure he'll even bother going to look for that first one.

This three-ball face a long delay before playing their second shots into the third green, while the group ahead finish up on the par-four hole.

Again, outside chances for birdie for all three - but they all walk off with pars.

The course has played kindly today - we've had two record-equalling scores after all - and even that bruising 18th hole has calmed down over the past few hours.

Of course, it's still a challenge but these later starters will be encouraged that they can make some upward progress this afternoon.

For those on the cut line - currently +1 - it will be a nervy end to round two.

Nothing too exciting from this group with pars predominantly being ticked off - apart from Viktor Hovland who makes his first bogey of the day on the fifth having missed the green with his tee shot.

His chip up is great as he leaves it just three feet away, but he goes and misses the putt so has to put down a four.

Image source, Getty Images

England's Jordan Smith was two under par at the start of play today but he's gone out in 36 today, leaving him just the right side of the cut line - it's just nudged back to include the players at one over.

Work to do for Smith to ensure he's around for the weekend.

That's a 10th straight par for Bob MacIntyre at the 13th as his round remains firmly in standby. He does make an important par putt from five feet to keep it that way though.

Alex Fitzpatrick lags a birdie putt in from a massive 55 feet and can tidy up for par. Rickie Fowler however, drops a shot and is now hovering perilously around the cut line.

Image source, Getty Images

Im Sung-jae had a clean scorecard until reaching the 11th, where his approach drifted down the slope to the right of the green.

His chip back up the hill ends up about 15 feet past the hole and he can't sink the par putt coming back.

Plenty of cheers and shouts for Tommy Fleetwood around the second green as he sends a birdie putt up the hill and just about into the hole after the ball did a lap of honour around the lip.

Great start for Fleetwood - matched by Jon Rahm who also makes his three here with a nice long putt.

You get a sense of how hard and bare the fairways are at Birkdale as the tee shots of Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau go bounding along after hitting the ground and gain a good 30 yards or so after landing.

All three of this group safely on the fairway.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Ludvig Aberg spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after a round of 66: "It was nice. I got off to a nice start after bogeying the first. I was rolling the putter really nicely today which gave me a lot of belief on the greens. I also hit a few good ones that didn’t go in. Today was a good scoring day.

"We play the first six or seven holes in light breeze so you be a little more aggressive and take it on, but it’s still difficult. You have to pick your spots.

"It’s supposed to be hard at a major championship but I’m pleased with today’s golf."

Image source, Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler makes an excellent approach to the second hole - he's got 10 feet left for birdie.

His putt is the perfect pace but just right of the hole, so it'll be another par for the world number one.

Bryson DeChambeau's birdie try from 35 feet just drifts by the left edge of the cup, while Tyrrell Hatton's attempt from a little bit closer pulls up just short and left.

Tommy Fleetwood has a long birdie putt on the first, which doesn't drop but leaves an easy enough par putt - as does Jon Rahm as they both open up with a regulation four.

Jordan Spirth finds the right rough but he too makes a pretty standard four.

As Matt Fitzpatrick departs the tournament, brother Alex is up to -4 after a fine birdie at the 12th.

He gave himself a look from 12 feet with a terrific tee shot on the par three and finally a lengthy putt dropped.

Playing partner Bob MacIntyre was very unimpressed as he watched his tee shot miss the green.

Nicely up and down though to save his par.

Six pars across the first two holes for this lot, all of whom were well fancied this week but they've all failed to fire so far - with Justin Rose facing a huge uphill task to try and make the cut.

Russell Henley finished third as this year's Masters and has been putting some some finished together in The Open - finishing 10th last year and fifth the year before.

Viktor Hovland had a recent win over Scottie Scheffler in a play-off on the PGA Tour so should be full of confidence, but in The Open he's had two poor tournament after starting his career T12, T4, T13.