Another bounceback birdie for Jackson Suber on 14 as he continues to show he's got some guts - he doesn't seem to be scared of this at all so far.

Shaun Norris slips to back-to-back bogeys though to drop back to three under - by no means out of it but you just have to be careful not to get on a negative run as links golf can punish you in a heartbeat.

If anyone was sleeping on Lucas Herbert, then they need to wake up.

From off the back of the ninth green, he's just rolled in his sixth birdie already and turns for home after carding 28.

That ties the record at The Open for the first nine holes.

A 28-year-old Australian who has only made the cut twice on five previous visits to this tournament is at six under and is flying.

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live at Royal Birkdale

The thought that just occurred to me is how fast the major season goes.

Here we are in July and it will be done for the men by Sunday night.

When Cam Young won the Players' Championship in March, there was a real feeling he was on the threshold of winning one of these majors.

He's going well here and I think he'll be hanging around on the leaderboard.

Image source, Getty Images

Collin Morikawa, sporting a pastel pink shirt and maroon trousers, is jostling nicely for a place toward the top of the leaderboard.

The American collects his second birdie of the day at the sixth after an iron shot plops on to the green and eight feet from the pin.

Morikawa duly slides it in.

A third of the way into his round and Nicolai Hojgaard is facing an uphill struggle after going four over with another bogey.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Wallace plays a nice bunker shot on the last, one of those one leg in, one leg out jobs with his right knee contorting outside the sand trap making those who've had knee operations like myself just squirm a bit.

It's a lovely escape though and he rolls in the putt for his four to finish with a fine 67 and on four under he should have a late tee time tomorrow.

He started off brilliantly, then seemed to get a bit down on himself as he can do at times, but despite not looking happy he stuck it out with five pars to finish off his day.

I have nothing more to say other than Lucas Herbert's caddie Nick Pugh has an absolutely fantastic beard.

Image source, Getty Images

No 35-foot birdie for Lucas Herbert on the par-four eighth but he's tucked it in close and tapped home for par to stay a shot clear of the pack.

He is onto the closing hole of his front nine.

Shane Lowry goes close to a second birdie but cuts a frustrated figure after a 24-foot putt just misses and he has to accept par.

No such luck for Brooks Koepka who bogeys the fifth.

A fortuitous bounce! Rory McIlroy tries to draw one into the par-three fourth with the flag tucked tight on the left.

He leans left, indicating that he's hung it out to the right, but - like at the 18th yesterday - his ball nudges off the slope and kicks down to around 30 feet from the cup.

It's another good try but stops just short and he taps in for par.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who's been uncharacteristically poor with his irons this week, finds the greenside bunker and splashes out to 12 feet, but he misses from there and drops back to two over.

Patrick Reed hasn't had a good Open result for a while - his best result is T10 and that was back in 2019, but the former Masters champion certainly has a links game.

He's a sparkling iron player, has great creativity and his short game is immaculate - this should be right up his street this week and just to prove the point he's lighting it up today.

The American is five under after seven holes today to power to three under for the tournament and just two off the lead.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Wallace got his par on 17 but he's not a happy bunny at all right now. He was going along so well but just seemed to get the hump on the back nine and it's been a grind these past few holes.

He needs a par on the last at least and then go and relax.

Ever wondered which professional male golfer you are most like?

We've put together this little quiz to help you work it out.

Tell us who you got using the Get Involved form, whether you agree and if there's someone else you'd rather be related to.

Ludvig Aberg has made three straight birdies to dip under par and is starting to move clear of that cut mark after starting the day in danger.

Wyndham Clark is heading in the opposite direction though - ironically he birdied the first but then has gone double bogey-bogey-bogey to drop to six over and faces a huge task now of making the weekend.

Not much flag-hunting going on at the third.

Xander Schauffele is long in two and plays a delicate little bump and run from a bare lie to set up a par, while Rory McIlroy shows tremendous judgement of pace to roll a 43-footer up next to the hole for his four.

Matt Fitzpatrick takes his four, too, so this three-ball remain locked together six shots off the pace.

Ben Croucher
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images

Nine major titles between them but to get an indication of just who the main draw is between Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick, just look around the galleries on the opening tee shot.

Yesterday, everyone wanted a snap or a video for posterity when the two-time Masters champion teed off. When it was Fitzpatrick and Schauffele's turn, the phones went back in the pockets and most just watched through their eyes.

Given that phone signal tends to be pretty ropey out on the course at the best of times, should the Open introduce Augusta's phone ban for patrons?

BBC Radio 5 Live

And so it begins.

Nine hours - at least - of uninterrupted golf coverage is getting under way on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Well, there will be news and a few bits and pieces... but it's pretty much Birkdale all the way for the rest of your Friday.

Tap the Listen Live button so you can stay with us and tune in.

Image source, Getty Images

Golf's a funny game. Eric Cole had just one birdie in a dispiriting opening 76 yesterday, but he's been a different man on the links today.

After a bogey on three, the world number 71 decided enough was enough and reeled off three straight birdies. Following three pars, he strung together four successive birdies from 10th to move six under for the round.

On course record watch, the American failed to birdie either par-five on the second nine and has just parred the last to card a best-of-the-week 64.

He's moved up around 100 places with that score. Not too shabby.

Cole comes from a golfing family. His father Bobby played in nine Open Championships, including at Birkdale in 1976, while his mother Laura Baugh won the US Women's Amateur title aged 16.

Two birdies on the last hole and now two bogeys for Jackson Suber and Shaun Norris who both tumble out of the lead.

Norris found a ditch with his tee shot so had to take a drop while Suber found the rough with his approach then missed an eight footer for par.

A magic round for Lucas Herbert just got even better.

Five birdies in his opening seven holes is quite the pace and that one was an absolute bonus, clattered in from 35 feet. Snazzy shades too.

Three share the lead at -5.

Image source, Getty Images

Is this the start of something for Brooks Koepka?

The American sinks a 20-foot putt on the par-three fourth to get himself back down to evens.

Pars for Shane Lowry and Aaron Rai.