Image source, Getty Images

Canada's Corey Conners had four consecutive birdies on the back nine but a bogey on the 18th will be playing on his mind in the clubhouse.

Conners plodded along yesterday, but today's efforts have moved him favourably up the leaderboard.

Far from an ideal start for Dan Brown, who goes right off the first tee and is eventually left with a 12-footer for par, but Brown is equal to the task and gets under way with a par four.

Im Sung-jae has a birdie attempt from similar range but misses.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Clubhouse leader Jackson Suber speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "I definitely faced more challenge today than yesterday but I felt like I handled it well. I know that if I play good patient golf all week it will work out for me. To make a par out of that fairway bnker on 18 was a good feeling.

"It's just another golf tournament - but at the same time it's not. It's the Open."

Collin Morikawa is currently ranking second for sinking putts within 10 feet at this year's Open.

The American finishes seven feet beyond that at the par-three 12th so calmly sets himself up for a simple tap in.

On Thursday, Bob MacIntyre got off to a terrific start with two birdies but today is a more steady par-par beginning for the Scot.

Same for Alex Fitzpatrick so it's as you were.

The entertainment value for this group so far is coming from Rickie Fowler who birdied the first and has immediately bogeyed the second.

Lucas Herbert produces a lovely touch out of the bunker, splashing out to four feet before holing his par putt.

Pars all the way home from here would mean a round of 62, which would equal the record for a lowest score at a men's major.

Ben Croucher
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

There's no doubt that Rory McIlroy is the star attraction out on the course right now, but what's it like being a fan actually trying to watch him.

I've just spent half an hour around the par-three 7th and the crowds were enormous. Every inch of grass, every mound, every vantage point was taken, and even then you weren't guaranteed a view of the great man. The crowds were 10 deep in places, and we were even part of a logjam trying to cross the eighth fairway to get there.

One chap I spoke to was 6 foot 5 inches tall and even he couldn't see.

Credit though to these Spanish fans, who thought of an old fashion solution to a modern golf spectating problem.

Image source, BBC Sport

Perhaps inspired by his LIV Golf colleague Lucas Herbert, Thomas Detry is starting to make a move.

He finds the heart of the green with his tee shot at the driveable fifth and knocks in the 12-foot putt for an eagle two.

The Belgian had a couple of early bogeys, however, so he's level par for the round.

Oliver Wilson
Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live

It looks like Rory McIlroy is hitting decent putts. The reaction after he has hit the last two is pure frustration from the line. His pace is OK, but that was the problem yesterday.

Pierceson Coody has a nervy little five footer to save his par on 15 but he does it well to stay on five under and at the sharp end of the tournament.

After that disappointing - if we can call it that - birdie on the last, Rory McIlroy has 102 yards for his second into the par-four 10th.

Hmmm, he's tugged it to the left a bit and leaves a longer-than-anticipated birdie putt, which he doesn't make.

McIlroy gave Matt Fitzpatrick the read but he misses it on the right after watching Rory's effort stay left.

Ludvig Aberg has had no luck on the greens in recent holes with lip-outs and near misses on birdie putts and now one on a par saver that costs him a bogey.

Cameron Young then hits a wide off the 11th tee and he's chosen a bad hole to spray it right as there's a narrow ditch down there that he's unlucky enough to find.

That's a drop and a fight to save par.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images

Lucas Herbert has been flying around Royal Birkdale this morning, tying the all-time nine-hole record for a major with a score of 28.

That's only happened three times in total and one of the others was also at Birkdale - Denis Durnian shot 28 on the front nine in 1983.

Herbert is currently eight under for his round and eyeing the all-time major record of 62 - which was first shot at the Open AND on this course by Branden Grace in 2017.

Uh oh.

Lucas Herbert's approach catches the slope into a greenside bunker on 14.

A tricky up-and-down to save par.

England's Dan Brown is making a habit of starting well at Open Championships.

Two years ago on debut at Troon, he ended the first day as overnight leader. He was only one shot off the top of the leaderboard after a four-under 66 at Royal Birkdale yesterday.

Playing partner Im Sung-jae also shot 66 in what proved to be the best of the conditions on Thursday.

Image source, Getty Images

A nice par save to end the day for Jackson Suber and it's been a fine day's work for the Open debutant with a 69 seeing him move a shot forward from his overnight score and lead in the clubhouse on six under.

Five birdies and four bogeys for the American but the numbers don't tell all the story, as this was a bit of a rollercoaster that he had to really battle through - with a hat-trick of front-nine bogeys that could have easily seen him crumble.

But he got his head down and fought his way back, two birdies after the turn followed, and another bogey was followed by an immediate bounceback birdie, with one on 17 sealing a round under par.

The real test now comes as he'll have plenty of time to think about things as he'll be off very late tomorrow - maybe even in the final group.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke has brought his latest Open campaign to an end.

The 2011 champion was in with a decent shout of making the cut at two over for the tournament with four holes left to play.

However, there were bogeys on 15 and 16, followed by a triple-bogey seven at the last.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images

That would have been the roar of the round had McIlroy dropped his eagle putt.

Instead it was the loudest groan of the day so far.

The disappointment quickly dissipates though as McIlroy’s endeavour is rewarded with a brilliant birdie.

He is bobbing over the cut line, but as we know - and he just showed - there is always a bit of magic to pluck out of the top drawer.

Tidy start for Bob MacIntyre who is onto the first green in two then nuzzles his 27-foot putt up to the hole.

He knocks that in and stays at -3.

Playing partner Alex Fitzpatrick gives himself a great look at birdie to start in style but misses from inside six feet.