The Open 2024 LIVE: Golf leaderboard and scores from round three as Shane Lowry chases Claret Jug

Some selected others, including Bob MacIntyre who did brilliantly to recover on the back nine last night and make the cut.

Padraig Harrington, Ireland;72-73;+3

Jordan Spieth, United States;71-74;+3

Brian Harman, United States;73-73;+4

Justin Thomas, United States;68-78;+4

Robert Macintyre, Scotland;72-75;+5

Hideki Matsuyama, Japan;75-72;+5

Phil Mickelson, United States;73-74;+5

Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland;77-71;+6

Matt Fitzpatrick, England;70-78;+6

Rickie Fowler, United States;79-69;+6

Max Homa, United States;76-72;+6

Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks after two rounds of The Open. Lowry leads, but just look at the star-studded chasing pack ready to pounce if he falters. Moving day will be fascinating.

Shane Lowry, Ireland;66-69;-7

Daniel Brown, England;65-72;-5

Justin Rose, England;69-68;-5

Dean Burmester, South Africa;71-69;-2

Billy Horschel, United States;72-68;-2

Scottie Scheffler, United States;70-70;-2

Patrick Cantlay, United States;73-68;-1

Corey Conners, Canada;71-70;-1

Jason Day, Australia;73-68;-1

Xander Schauffele, United States;69-72;-1

Matthew Jordan, England;71-71;E

Joaquin Niemann, Chile;71-71;E

Mackenzie Hughes, Canada;69-74;+1

Dustin Johnson, United States;74-69;+1

Brooks Koepka, United States;70-73;+1

Collin Morikawa, United States;73-70;+1

“I hit a great provisional,” Lowry explained. “The referee asked me going down (the fairway) did I want to find my first one, and I said no. So I assumed that was OK.

“Then we get down there and somebody had found it, so apparently you have to go and identify it. I felt through that whole process of that 20 minutes of seeing where I could drop I was very calm and composed and really knew that I was doing the right thing.

“And Darren (Reynolds, his caddie) did a great job too. He kept telling me we have loads of time, we don’t need to rush this.

“To be honest, I was happy enough leaving there with a six. It wasn’t a disaster. I have felt quite calm and composed the last couple of days. I’ve felt really in my comfort zone.

“Sometimes you are in a frame of mind where you get on with it better than other times. This week in my head feels like that, where I think I’m ready to take what comes, take what’s given to me out there.

“Anything that’s thrown at me, I feel like I’m ready to take it on the chin and move on. If I give myself a chance on Sunday I know I can do it and that’s as good as a position to be in as any.”

Lowry felt he had “done the hard part” on the 11th by getting his tee shot in play, but was distracted by a cameraman on his second shot and pulled it into the gorse.

After taking a penalty drop Lowry hit his fourth shot to around 10 feet to give himself a chance to salvage a bogey, only for his original ball to be found by a spectator.

That meant it was still in play and, after a long delay while it was determined where he could best take a drop, Lowry hit his approach just short of the green and eventually completed a double-bogey six.

Former Ryder Cup player David Howell, the on-course commentator with Lowry’s group for Sky Sports, said the spectator who found the ball was “being a little sheepish” when he realised Lowry’s intentions, adding: “He’s feeling awful.”

Shane Lowry believes he is ready to take whatever is thrown at him “on the chin” after keeping his bid for a second Open title firmly on track at Royal Troon.

Lowry added a second round of 69 to his opening 66 for a halfway total of seven under par and two-shot lead over English duo Justin Rose and Dan Brown, who both came through 36-hole final qualifiers earlier this month.