The Open: New leader hits birdie blitz as Rory McIlroy insists he 'can challenge' after keeping dream alive

Lee Westwood looked to be in serious trouble on the 18th as he found the greenside bunker and had an awful lie, from which he could only push it to 27 feet beyond the hole - a good shot in the circumstances, it must be said.
But it doesn't matter because he holes the putt back! Superb putt from the Englishman and he signs for a one-under 71 to head into the weekend level with Rory McIlroy at -3!

A poor approach from Fitzpatrick tickles off the right side of the 14th green. His chip pulls up over five feet short and he'll have that to stay at -10.

He's been adopting a bit of a Brian Harman 'boring' style today, except with fewer birdies. It's now nine pars and one birdie (at the 3rd) for his opening 10 holes. However, that has now changed. Because he's made bogey. Turns out he had to hack out of rough - as did his playing partner Scheffler. Neither are able to save par from the back of the green and so Scheffler tumbles to -7, Lowry to -1. 

What was the difference: "I played the same as I did yesterday. That's links golf for you. I executed pretty much the same shots as I did yesterday. I didn't feel like I played any different, today they just kind of went more my way. My wedges were just a fraction better and that was really it. Made a couple more putts. Just really felt like I was rolling it well today. There wasn't much different. That's why links golf is the way links golf is."
What did you say to yourself: "I want to go home. But I woke up this morning and I said, you know what, I can't give up. My dad always told me never to give up, just got to keep going, and that's what I did today. I was proud of the way I fought back, really persevered through some emotionally difficult moments and to hold myself together and not get p****d and slam clubs and throw things and all that like I wanted to, like I was very proud of myself."

I know what I was saying about slow rounds out there.... but if I was these guys now, I'd be going slowly to have to hit as few shots as possible before this rain goes off. It's torrential but is due to clear up shortly. In the mean time, it's definitely having an impact as the world number one has to chop out of thick rough left of 11.

This is what I was saying about not wanting a Harman, English final pairing on Sunday...

That means the rain is back and it is hammering down in biblical proportions again. I really don't know how else to describe it, it is absolutely chucking it down and while it might be a short shower that last 10-15 minutes, it's really going to make things miserable out there for the players. Let's see how it affects them...

On the similarities between Hoylake and Portrush: "I feel really comfortable over here. I'm comfortable driving it. They're very different golf courses but the golf is similar. You've got to be able to flight your golf ball, you've got to know how far everything's going, then you can't get frustrated. You're going to get bad breaks, you're going to end up in funny spots where it doesn't seem fair and you just have to kind of outlast that stuff. Although the golf courses are different, the style of golf is very similar."
His approach for Saturday: "I'll approach the weekend the same way (as 2023). The only thing I'm really worried about is the first tee ball tomorrow and then I'll try to hit the next one up there close to the flag. If not, go to the second hole. It's a very boring approach that I take. I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. I know that I've got the game to do it, and it's just a matter of executing and staying in my own head. I would love to have a similar weekend (to 2023) and just play great the whole way through. There's going to be challenges. This is a hard golf course. The pins have been in really, really tough spots, and you've really got to think your way around it. Inevitably you're going to mis-hit some shots and end up in spots you don't want to be in, and the way you handle that will determine the outcome of the tournament for sure."

It's now FOUR consecutive birdies to start to the back nine for the Englishman who has opened up a two-shot lead at the top. He's now six under par for the day. A couple more birdies in his final five holes and he could yet match Shane's Saturday 63 from 2019. 

Matt Fitzpatrick is your new leader as he takes advantage of the short par-five 12th by hitting it in two and safely two-putting for the birdie that takes him to -9 and one clear of Brian Harman and Haotong Li!

Over on the 18th green, as a half full stand awaits Darren Clarke, there was a gasp and a round of applause as the leaderboard was updated to send Fitzpatrick top.

Haotong Li matches yesterday's 67 to tie Brian Harman's clubhouse lead of eight under par.

Unfortunately for them, it looks like Matt Fitzpatrick is about to go one shot clear as he's on the par five 12th in two. 

Almost literally for Dustin Johnson as he takes aim with his second shot on the par-four 18th, it hits the green hard and bounces up... and hits the flag, dropping down a foot from the hole! Sometimes you get the breaks and that was certainly one of them - that will be a tap-in birdie for the two-time Major winner and he'll be in for the weekend at level-par!

And Portrush loves Tommy Fleetwood (-1)

He gave it a good rattle at the 17th to be fair to him. From 'other', he managed to get his approach shot just off the back edge, and his chip was close put came up a couple of feet short. 

At +5 with one to play, it's looking like there's just one final reception at 18 left to close out his tournament. 

Welcome to the front page of the leaderboard, Kristoffer Reitan. The Norwegian has just birdied the par-five 12th, as most are to be fair, to get to -4 and knock Rory McIlroy off the big scoreboard in front of us in the media centre.
It's been a fine round for the 27-year-old, who is the reigning Challenge Tour champion and won the Belgian Open earlier this year, as he's currently on track for a bogey-free six-under round having carded an eagle and four birdies.

After shooting a three-under 68 on Friday to get to five-under-par for the tournament, Denmark's Rasmus Højgaard was asked (among other things, of course) whether he'd had a midweek haircut.
"I did actually. I took the flow away. It got a bit too long, and I sort of thought, no, this is the time. So I managed to get a haircut on Wednesday. So far it's actually worked out," he said.
Did he go into town to get it done?
"There's a barber in the locker room. I put my name down on Monday and had to postpone it for Tuesday, and then I couldn't find Tuesday. Then I had to do it Wednesday, and I finally did it. It's been working out."
Life of luxury, isn't it.

Two holes to play and two birdies needed for Darren to get to the +3 'maybe, but unlikely' pile. 

Considering his tee-shot at 17 has gone right and been classed as landing in the 'other' section of the course - as opposed to normal headings like 'fairway' or 'bunker' - we can assume it's not in great shape.

And it's a European who makes his way to the -8 alongside Harman and Li, as Matt Fitzpatrick continues the perfect start to his back nine, adding birdie at 11. With the par five 12th to come, we could soon see a new outright leader.

On shooting a four-under 67: "That was fun. Played really, really well. I've been playing so poorly here over the last couple years. It feels nice to put a nice round together, nice two days together. I played nice yesterday as well. But what a fun day."
On going bogey-free: "I really am proud of that. Like I said, I've struggled here, so to be in contention, to have played the way I did today means a lot. I never know what I'm going to get when I come over here, so this is a nice bonus."
On his Irish heritage: "(My family is from) Cork. I'm really proud of my heritage to be from here. I played the Irish Open here. I always dreamt of playing in the Irish Open; I played it at this course (in 2012) when I made the Tour. It's exciting to be back."