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Round two leaderboard for The Open

-10 Scheffler (US), -9 Fitzpatrick (Eng), -8 Harman (US), Li (Chn)

Selected: -5 R Hojgaard (Den), Hatton (Eng), MacIntyre (Sco), English (US), Gotterup (US), -4 N Hojgaard (Den), -3 Bradley (US), McIlroy (NI), -2 Rose (Eng), Aberg (Swe)

At halfway through The Open, Scottie Scheffler battled the worst of the torrential downpours that battered Royal Portrush to shoot a commanding 64 and put one-shot ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick.

Eight birdies and one bogey were part of the world number one’s PGA Championship advance to 10 under with the exception of his lowest round in a major.

Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, recorded an impressive 66 with eight birdies as well.

On eight under, Brian Harman and Li Haotong from China are third.

In a group of five under, including Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard, Scotland’s Tyrrell Hatton, Scotland’s Tyrrell Hatton, and his fellow American Harris English, both of whom won the surprise Scottish Open last week.

When he was asked if he would have the same drink after Friday’s game, he responded, “Be rude not to.” Three, in my opinion, is the magic number.

Rory McIlroy, the second-ranked player, struggled to get past the 69 to stay in contention after three under.

Keegan Bradley, the captain for the US Ryder Cup, continues to play at a level that makes it doubtful whether or not he will play well in the September game against Europe at Bethpage Black.

Shane Lowry, an Irishman who won the R&amp, A, was penalized by organisers by two strokes after his ball was found to have moved in the rough on the 12th hole during a practice swing.

He accepted the penalty, which placed him on par with the championship and just past the final two rounds, which sees the top 70 plus tie play.

He expressed his disappointment that there aren’t more camera angles on it.

He kept his razor-sharp focus on Friday, with a birdie on the first as the rain slammed down, after an opening 68.

The first hole is sunny when we get there. Then suddenly, as you look around, it becomes extremely dark and begins to pour rain,” he said.

You’re like, “boy, I wonder how long this will last.”

That set the tone for his day, which included a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth, which were followed by another on the 10th, which made it eight under.

Fitzpatrick was already climbing a good deal more heights an hour or so earlier. The Yorkshireman’s opening seven holes saw four birdies and shared the overnight lead with four under.

He was the first to reach 10 under, and four more came after him from the 10th. He lost a shot on the 14th after a short missed putt on the 17th, and his fine margins stung when the fine margins turned against him.

However, as he bravely holed a 24-foot par putt in the final round to stay nine under, cheers rang out.

Fitzpatrick said, “I felt like every aspect of my game was on.”

There is still a long way to go before I can win the golf tournament, according to the golfer.

After the rain, Scheffler used the softer, more receptive greens to convert three more birdie chances, including on the 16th and 17th, and edge clear, with afternoon gloom replacing evening sun.

He said, “Thankfully, it didn’t pour the entire time.” “We had four or five holes where the weather was really coming down,” said one participant.

With a bogey-free 65 earlier in the day, Harman’s resurrected memories of his 2023 Open victory at Royal Liverpool.

His charge had a second-round 65, which was a similar score to his on the Wirral coast.

Due to his propensity to kill and consume large game, Harman was nicknamed “the butcher of Hoylake” during his protracted march to the Claret Jug.

When questioned about his continued interest in hunting, he responded, “Yah, big hunter, big fisherman.”

I didn’t realize how outraged everyone was. I’ll pass out on the hill. I’ll sleep soundly at night like a baby.

On Friday, he birdied three of his opening seven holes and three more of his back nine from one of the toughest courses in the world.

Through the afternoon rain, Li, who almost gave up on the sport in 20 DP World Tour competitions in 2023, managed to post a 67th successive victory.

One of the eight left-handed players in this year’s Open field record, MacIntyre shot a second-round 66 with six birdies and his only missed shot was on the challenging par-three 16th.

The world number 14 made up for that bogey by birdieing from the 17th green with a 20-foot putt.

Hatton was his usual animated self when he combined four birdies and two bogeys in his 69, which elevated the Scot to the same score.

At the US Open, MacIntyre finished second behind JJ Spaun, who placed fourth overall.

I’m not afraid, I say. I won’t be back away. I’ll roll the dice if I have a chance. I feel as though I am capable enough and have a lot more confidence.

McIlroy and his Ryder Cup team-mate Ludvig Aberg missed a tiddler for birdie on the final hole, ending one under two under, but he kept his composure with a solid par.

Harry Hall and Justin Rose are also two under. Rose dropped his first championship shot on the par-three sixth after a bogey-free opening.

After losing a ball in a bush, he added three more shots on the eleventh, but two birdies prevented him from getting a 71.

In a 67, Hall, who is emerging as a surprise contender for Luke Donald’s European team, birdied seven holes and three bogeys.

Tommy Fleetwood, McIlroy’s playing partner, shot four birdies in his first seven holes to increase to two under.

Bryson DeChambeau had a chance to land an early flight back to the US after a seven-over 78 in round one. He made the cut on Friday, however, with a 65.

He claimed that he had declared his desire to return home after Thursday’s round.

However, when I woke up, I said, “I can’t give up.” My father had a saying that I should never give up.

I was proud of myself because I held on to myself and didn’t slam clubs or throw things like I wanted to during some emotionally challenging times.

After shooting a one-under-70, fellow American English is tied for fifth overall.

After his regular bagman Eric Larson was denied a visa after serving ten years in prison for drug offenses, he is using his putting coach Ramon Bescansa as his caddie this week.

The Open, round two leaderboard

-10 Scheffler (US); -9 Fitzpatrick (Eng); -8 Harman (US), Li (Chn)

Selected: -5 R Hojgaard (Den), Hatton (Eng), MacIntyre (Sco), English (US), Gotterup (US); -4 N Hojgaard (Den); -3 Bradley (US), McIlroy (NI); -2 Rose (Eng), Aberg (Swe)

Scottie Scheffler battled the worst of the torrential downpours that battered Royal Portrush to shoot a commanding 64 and open a one-shot lead over Matt Fitzpatrick at the halfway stage of The Open.

The world number one’s high-class round – his lowest round in a major – featured eight birdies and one bogey as the US PGA Championship winner advanced to 10 under.

Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, signed for an equally impressive 66 that also contained eight birdies.

Former champion Brian Harman and China’s Li Haotong are in third on eight under.

England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre of Scotland – who both contended in last month’s US Open – are in a group on five under, alongside Denmark’s Ryder Cup hopeful Rasmus Hojgaard, last week’s surprise Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup and his fellow American Harris English.

When asked if he would repeat the drinks after Friday’s round, he replied: “Be rude not to. I think three’s the magic number.”

World number two Rory McIlroy was again wayward off the tee as he scrambled to a 69 to remain in contention on three under.

He is on the same mark as US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who continues to play to a level that brings into question what his role will be for the match against Europe at Bethpage Black in September.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry, winner here in 2019, was penalised two strokes by organisers the R&A after his ball was adjudged to have moved in the rough on the 12th hole while he was taking a practice swing.

He accepted the penalty, which left him level par for the championship and just inside the cut mark of one over, which sees the top 70 plus ties, play the final two rounds.

“I’m disappointed that they don’t have more camera angles on it,” he said.

Scheffler started the week by revealing his daily wrestle with why he plays the sport but his skill has shone through the largely gloomy conditions he has encountered so far.

An opening 68 left him one off the pace and he maintained his laser-sharp focus on Friday, with a birdie on the first as the rain lashed down.

“We get to the first hole, it’s sunny. Then all of a sudden, you look around and it’s super dark and it starts pouring rain,” he said.

“You’re like, ‘boy, I wonder how long this is going to last’.”

That set the tone for his day and a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth were followed by another on the 10th to reach eight under.

Fitzpatrick, out an hour or so earlier, was scaling even greater heights. The Yorkshireman, who had shared the overnight lead on four under, had four birdies in his opening seven holes.

Four more followed from the 10th as he was the first to reach 10 under. A short missed putt on the 14th cost him a shot and a three-foot birdie attempt on the 17th lipped out as the fine margins went against him.

But huge cheers rang out as he bravely holed a 24-foot par putt on the last to stay at nine under.

“I felt like every facet of my game was on,” said Fitzpatrick.

“I’m giving myself an opportunity to win the golf tournament, but there’s still a long way to go.”

With the afternoon gloom giving way to evening sun, Scheffler took advantage of greens that were softer and more receptive following the rain to convert three more birdie chances, including on the 16th and 17th, and edge clear.

“Fortunately, it didn’t pour the whole time,” he said. “We had four or five holes where it was really coming down, and I was able to take advantage where we had good weather.”

Earlier in the day, Harman resurrected memories of his run to the 2023 Open title at Royal Liverpool with a bogey-free 65.

His charge echoed his performance on the Wirral coast, when he also shot a second-round 65.

Harman was dubbed “the butcher of Hoylake” during his relentless march to the Claret Jug as a result of his propensity to slay and eat big game.

When asked if he was still enjoying hunting, he replied: “Yeah, big hunter, big fisherman.

“I didn’t realise that everyone was so upset about it. It’s a hill I’ll die on. I’ll sleep like a baby at night.”

He dissected one of the world’s toughest courses on Friday, with three birdies in his opening seven holes and three more on the back nine.

Li, who almost quit the sport in 2023 after making two cuts in 20 DP World Tour events, played through the afternoon rain to post a second successive 67.

MacIntyre, one of a record eight left-handers in this year’s Open field, shot a second-round 66 that featured six birdies – with his only dropped shot coming on the exacting par-three 16th.

However, the world number 14 atoned for that bogey by knocking in a 20-foot putt from the edge of the 17th green for a birdie.

That lifted the Scot to the same score as Hatton, who was his usual animated self as he mixed four birdies with two bogeys in his 69.

“I’m in a good spot,” said MacIntyre, who finished runner-up to JJ Spaun at the US Open, with Hatton tied fourth.

“I’m not scared. I’m not going to back away. If I’ve got a chance, I’m going to roll the dice. I’ve got so much more confidence and so much more belief that I am good enough.”

The torrential rain arrived with McIlroy on the 18th hole but he retained his composure to finish with a solid par, while his Ryder Cup team-mate Ludvig Aberg missed a tiddler for birdie on the last to end on two under.

English pair Justin Rose and Harry Hall are also at two under. After a bogey-free opening, Rose dropped his first shot of the championship on the par-three sixth.

Three more shots went on the 11th after losing a ball in a bush but two birdies limited the damage as he signed for a 71.

In-form Hall, who is emerging as a surprise contender for Luke Donald’s European team, made seven birdies and three bogeys in a 67.

McIlroy’s playing partner Tommy Fleetwood started quickly with four birdies in his opening seven holes to improve to two under.

After a seven-over 78 in round one, Bryson DeChambeau looked set for an early flight back to the US. However, he bounced back with a 65 on Friday to make the cut.

He said after Thursday’s round he had told himself: “I want to go home.

“But I woke up and said, ‘I can’t give up’. My dad always told me never to give up.

“I really persevered through some emotionally difficult moments, and to hold myself together and not slam clubs and throw things like I wanted to, I was proud of myself.”

Fellow American English is in the group at five under after shooting a one-under 70.

He is using his putting coach Ramon Bescansa as his caddie this week after his usual bagman Eric Larson was denied a visa because of a drug conviction from more than 30 years ago that led to him serving 10 years in prison.

Tyrrell Hatton returns to the major after suffering the most difficult defeat of his career at the US Open.

At the halfway point of the Open at Royal Portrush, the Englishman carded a second-round 69 on Friday, placing five under.

After completing the final five holes in one over, he was frustrated, though, when he made it to six under with a birdie on the 13th.

The 33-year-old, who is three backs from Brian Harman, described it as “a pretty frustrating day.”

On many holes, I didn’t get too close. After a flawless tee shot, I lob wedged into 14 to miss the green, which undoubtedly led to bogey.

That was a little regrettable. However, the past few days have been good.

Hatton is renowned for reacting furiously to subpar shots and putts, and he assured the media that he is still cursing himself when necessary.

“I was still fairly vocal,” I said. The LIV Golf player, who finished in sixth place at Royal Portrush in 2019, added, “Maybe I’m just having to do it away from the microphone.”

Hatton responded when questioned about whether he would ever change. He believed “that ship has sailed”

I won’t alter anything, I promise. He said, “It’s exactly how I play,” adding that.

As long as it doesn’t have an impact on my playing partners, as I’ve always said, as long as it doesn’t have an impact on them, I’ve always gone too far, and commenting on a putt when they’re putting on the same line might have an impact on where they’re hitting their putt.

I believe that “stuff like that” is a part of what you learn as you gain experience, so I make an effort to avoid that.

“But I’m not going to change as long as I’m not affecting the other guys,” the statement goes.

Hatton hasn’t had much trouble relaxing off the beaten path, whether it’s watching a movie on Netflix or playing a quick round of Ballyreagh, a nine-hole par-three course that’s just a short drive from the Dunluce Links.

It was incredibly enjoyable. It was a lovely evening.