1823: Garcia's putt for birdie stays above ground and it's 'only' a par. He's had 15 of them today, as well as three birdies and that's a fine effort. He'll take a three-shot lead into the final round and knows he has his destiny in his own hands. Can he land that elusive first major?

1822: Choi has left himself 30 feet for par. It's a good putt, but he sets it out too far left and has to settle for a bogey-five and a 72. The Korean is -3.

1818: Garcia's second to 18 is an absolute beauty. The ball heeds the Spaniard's impassioned pleas of 'Be Good!' as scampers up the green before finishing pin-high some eight or nine feet from the cup. That for a four-shot lead going into the final round.

1814: Jimenez has 20 feet for a closing birdie, but it's always on the high side and the Spaniard is in with a 72 to stand -2. Having dumped his second at the foot of the grandstand, Weir takes three to get down and finishes with a bogey. He also returns a 72 and, like Jimenez, is -2.

1811: Garcia's out with the iron on the 18th tee and it's a good result as he sails over the burn and into the centre of the fairway. It's not such good news for Choi, who uses a driver, as his ball takes one bounce before disappearing into the burn.

1809: Choi secures his par with a delicate chip and putt and Garcia follows suit as he holes out confidently yet again.

1806: The photographer seems to be okay as he is led away and Garcia produces another fantastic rescue shot which pulls up three feet from the hole.

1801: Garcia's loses his second to 17 way left and it comes down with a sickening thud on to the head of a spectator. Garcia arrives to check on his victim, a photographer, who continues to receive treatment as he lines up his his third. This won't be easy for Sergio, it's a nasty lie and it can't be easy to compose yourself after an incident like that.

1758: Furyk is unable to get up and down at 18 and has to settle for a 71. The American remains at -2 and was never really able to get going today.

1755: After finding the fairway on 17, Sergio nips off the course for a 'comfort break'. With only 10 or 15 minutes golf left you would have thought he could have waited, but the Spaniard is doing everything his own way this week and at the moment it's working to perfection so who are we to question him!

1754: Jimenez shows lovely touch from off the green at 17, but it's still going to be a bogey-five and that will send him back to -2.

1751: Garcia's faultless round continues as he eases another putt up to the cup at 16. It's a tap-in and while he's not pulling clear, he ensuring the tournament remains his to lose. Choi also makes his par.

1750: Furyk's approach to 18 leaks right and finds the sand trap.

1749: Garcia finds the heart of the green on the long par-three 16th - currently playing the most difficult hole on the course.

1748: Romero's birdie putt stays out, it's a 70. Playing partner Cabrera taps in for 72 and stands at level-par.

1746: Jimenez finds the burn with his drive on 17, that could put an end to his hopes.

1744: Furyk bounces back again with birdie at 17, the American simply refuses to go away.

1742: Andres Romero has gone about his business quietly and efficiently today and a wonderful iron into the 18th green means he will have a real chance to post a 69 and join the group on -3.

1741: Garcia's birdie putt again fails to threaten the cup, but he holes out well with the belly putter for his four. Choi also makes his par to stay in the hunt.

1738: A chip and two putts mean Westwood finishes with a bogey-five. It's a 73 and, having slipped back to level-par, his chance has now surely gone. Playing partner Forsyth closes with a sparkling birdie, but it's about the only thing that's gone right for the Scot today as he comes home with a 78.

1736: Two more solid irons present Garcia with yet another shot at birdie on 15. He's looking a picture of solidity at the moment, but he'd like one or two more putts to drop.

1735: Good up and down from the sand by Weir at 15, but it's only to save bogey and the Canadian left-hander is now -3.

1732: Great comeback by Jimenez at the tricky 15th as a wonderful approach sets up a rare birdie. That gets him back to level-par for the day and -3 overall.

1730: Furyk undoes his good work by missing a short one for par at 16, he's back to -2.

1727: Having found the green in two, Garcia is a long way off target with his first putt across the green and leaves eight or nine feet for his birdie. It's a decent strike, but it just fades at the last and creeps past on the low side. It's a par, but that must have felt like a bogey to the Spaniard who remains -9.

1724: Weir makes birdie at 14 to join Choi in third on -4, while Furyk could be making a late move as he makes it back-to-back birdies with a three at 15. The American is now -3.

1721: A bogey at 16 drops Westwood back to level-par, it's been a frustrating day for the man from Worksop.

1718: Els taps home for a par on 18 and round of 68. He's -3, but if he'd managed a birdie at the par-five sixth instead of the triple-bogey eight he carded he would now be only two back of Garcia. Playing partner Broadhurst also records a 68 and, like Els, stands on -3.

1717: Jimenez has something of a disaster on the 14th as he contrives to take a double-bogey seven that drops him back to -2.

1715: Garcia takes a iron of the tee at the par-five 14th and his low chaser ends in perfect position. Choi can only find sand with his driver.

1713: With his booming drive having found the middle of the 18th fairway, Els appears to mishit his second and is fortunate to see it pull up just a couple of yards sort of the burn. He makes amends with an expert chip and will have five feet for a par.

1711: Garcia's putt at 13 lacks conviction, but he's still got a three-shot cushion and must be happy with his lot at the moment. Choi sinks a clutch putt for par to remain in touch on -4.

1709: Furyk continues to tread water as he follows a bogey on 13 with a birdie on 14, he's still -2.

1708: Exemplary chip from Harrington leaves him two feet and he duly strokes home for an important par and 68 which leaves him -3 ahead of the final round.

1705: Yet another faultless iron from Garcia at the par-three 13th and he'll have 10-12 feet to extend his lead further.

1703: Some magic from the sand helps Jimenez save par at 13, he stays -4.

1702: Harrington's second to 18 flirts with the out of bounds down the left, but it stays on the right side of the fence and he'll have an up and down for a 68.

1701: Garcia and Choi both make pars at 12.

1700: Broadhurst becomes the latest man to join the -3 posse as he slots home from ten feet on the 17th.

1658: Cink had found sand with his approach to 18, but a delightful bunker shot helps him rescue par for a round of 68 that leaves him -3.

1656: Garcia and Choi find the heart of the green at 12 will have putts for birdie.

1654: Jimenez is a little tentative with his birdie putt at 12, but a par is never a bad result on one of the toughest holes on the course.

1652: Westwood makes birdie at the par-five 14th to get back in the red numbers at -1.

1650: Harrington almost follows suit, but his birdie putt from distance at 17 brushes the hole but stays out.

1648: Cink slots a lengthy putt on 17 to move to -3.

1646: Choi gives himself a much-needed fillip as he rolls in from ten feet for birdie at 11, but he's now five strokes back of Garcia who duly taps home his tiddler to march to -9.

1644: After a monstrous drive at 11, Garcia puts his subsequent wedge almost stone dead and looks a cert to move to -9.

1642: Jimenez responds to his bogey at 11 with a birdie at 12 and moves back into third on his own at -4.

1641: McGinley just misses out a what would have been a deserved birdie at 18, but he taps in for a 68 to leave himself -3.

1639: A simply stunning tee-shot from Els guarantees him another birdie at the par-three 16th - and it within an ace of being an ace. Taking a three-wood, the Big Easy flies it all the way to the green and watches as it releases up to the hole-side. That will take him to -3.

1637: Westwood ends up taking a double-bogey six at 12. That's a real setback for the Englishman who drops back to level-par.

1635: Harrington comes agonisingly close to birdie on 16, but he remains five back on -3.

1633: Despite a trip into the burn, Vijay somehow salvages a par on 18 for a round of 68. The Fijian did not drop a shot today, infact he didn't make a single five, his card is a picture of threes and fours. At -2 he'll have a shout tomorrow.

1631: Two lovely approaches from Garcia and Choi set up birdie opportunities on ten.

1629: Jimenez drops the first shot of his round as his par-putt pulls up short on ten. A trip to the sand proved costly for the Spaniard who is back to -3.

1628: A wonderful long-iron into 17 does not get the putt it deserves from McGinley and he has to settle for a par to stay -3.

1626: Birdie from Furyk at ten has him back to -2.

1625: Stricker gets up and down on 18 to confirm a best-of-the-week 64. Seven birdies and not a single dropped shot. The American sits second on -6 and must now fancy his chances tomorrow.

1622: Els cannot make his birdie putt and remains -2. He is joined by playing partner Broadhurst who drains a 30-35 footer for eagle. Like Els, Broadhurst went out of bounds at six, taking a double-bogey seven. Both men have fought back superbly.

1621: Garcia's long birdie putt at nine looks good for a long time but just squeezes past on the left. It's another par and he's looking very composed.

1619: Lovely bunker shot from Els at 14 offers him the chance of a fourth straight birdie. Stricker finds the sand at the front of the green with his approach to 18.

1616: Westwood is in big trouble on 12 after finding heavy rough with his drive. Two more strikes and he's still not on the green, this could be costly.

1614: McGinley surrenders a shot at the long par-three 16th. He drops back to -3.

1612: Stricker makes par at 17 and gets off a cracking drive at 18. A four down the last will give him an incredible round of 64.

1610: Garcia's birdie putt at eight rolls up to the hole and has a little look before dropping in. He's now two-under for his round and two clear on -8. Choi can do no better than a bogey-four and is back in the group at -3.

1609: Furyk's predicted challenge has failed to materialise as yet, the American has bogeyed nine to hit the turn in 37 strokes. He's back to -1.

1607: Els is on a roll. The 'Big Easy' makes it three consecutive birdies with another good putt on 13 and with the par-five 14th to come he could soonbe right back in the mix.

1605: Vijay has yet to drop a shot today and his third birdie of the round at 14 has moved him up to -2.

1604: After a par at seven, Garcia fires in a magnificent mid-iron to the short eighth to set up a real birdie opportunity. Choi finds sand and will have a tricky up and down to stay at -4.

1602: Els is fighting back well following his triple-bogey disaster earlier on. He's birdied eight, 11 and 12 to get himself back into the red at -1.

1559: Tiger's par-putt at 18 creeps in the back-door and somehow he's got round in 69. He'll start the final round at -1 and will have to come from behind in the final round for the first time in a major if he's to defend his crown.

1557: Harrington responds in the best possible style to his dropped shot at 12 by producing a two at the short par-three 13th.

1556: In typical style Tiger puts his third to the 18th within four or five feet and should finish with a par.

1555: Stricker shows more good touch with the putter from off the 16th green to save another par.

1554: Tiger's drive at 18 finds some very thick rough and he's forced to lay up. He's still two-under for the day which says something as he's been nowhere near his best.

1552: Mike Weir joins the group on -4 as he eases home a putt on seven.

1551: Harrington sees a ten-footer slide past on 12 and that's his first dropped shot of the round, he's back to -2.

1550: Garcia's birdie putt also stays out and the Spaniard has to content himself with a par.

1548: Stricker's dream round goes on as he saves par at 15 with a superb long putt. He's now two clear of Choi who cannot hole his par-putt on six.

1546: McGinley gets up and down at 14 and the Irishman has moved quietly to -4, he's having a great championship.

1545: Choi found the bunker at the front of the green with his third on six and, despite a decent fourth from the sand, has left 12 feet for par. Garcia chips up his third and will have five feet for birdie.

1544: Good up and down from Westwood saves par at eight and he remains -2.

1543: Stricker locates a bunker with his tee-shot at 15 and faces an uphill task to save par.

1541: Garcia's second at six just creeps on to the front of the green and he'll have a lengthy putt for eagle, although he'll be more than happy to head to the seventh tee with a birdie under his belt.

1540: Romero has made a birdie on seven to join compatriot Cabrera on -2.

1538: Choi finds the sand with his drive at six and his birdie chance looks to have gone as he can only hack out to leave himself around 270 yards to the flag with his third.

1536: Furyk makes it six pars on the spin and has yet to make his move.

1533: More short-game magic from Tiger at 16 salvages par and it's very nearly a birdie as his delightful chip comes to rest beside the hole.

1532: Garcia holes another testing par putt at five. He really is looking confident with that belly putter and if can can stay solid on the greens we all know how good he can be tee to green.

1530: Stricker's eagle attempt just slides past on the low side, but he taps in for the seventh birdie of his scintillating round to move clear on his own in second at -6.

1528: Splendid approach from Harrington at 11 leaves him 10-12 foot for another birdie.

1526: Weekley misreads his par-putt on six and drops back to -2.

1524: A fantastic second shot from Stricker at the par-five 14th gives him every chance of an eagle. He'll have 20 feet for a tie of the lead.

1523: Harrington taps home for par on ten and McGinley does likewise on 11 - both remain -3.

1521: A uncharacterically weak putt from Jimenez at five means he misses out on a good birdie chance, but he's still right in the mix at -4.

1519: Garcia and Choi both make pars at the fourth.

1517: Cabrera ushers his eagle putt at six up to the holeside for a birdie that moves him to -2.

1515: There's almost a sense of inevitability as Stricker strokes home another birdie on 13 to move into a share of second with Choi on -5.

1513: Excellent up and down from McIlroy at 18 completes a back nine of just 34 strokes. It's a 73 for the teenager and he sits at +4.

1512: Despite finding an awkward spot in the rough down the right of the fourth, Garcia floats his second to within 20-25 feet of the hole.

1509: Tiger shows wonderful touch from off the green at 14 and leaves himself a tap-in for birdie. He's back in the red at -1.

1506: Harrington holes a clutch-putt for par at nine to reach the turn in 33 strokes.

1504: Delightful chip and a solid putt from Garcia means he escapes with a par at the third.

1502: Tiger's travails continue. He's still in touch through will-power alone, but once again at the par-five 14th he's spraying the ball from one side to the other and has it all on to make the birdie his challenge desperatley needs.

1500: Sergio squirts his second at three some way right and, while he's just avoided the burn, he's left an awkward up and down for par.

1459: Stricker reached the turn in just 31 shots and is yet to drop a shot. He's started back with pars at ten and 11.

1456: DiMarco is within an ace of yet another birdie at 18 but his putt pulls up agonisingly short. Still, it's a fabulous 66 for the American and he has set some target in the clubhouse on -3.

1455: Retief Goosen birdies four and six and he's now edged up to -3. It's not such good news for compatriot Els who, having driven out of bound on six, ended up with a triple-bogey eight that drops him right back to +2. That could be his race run.

1452: Jim Furyk is fancied by many to be there or thereabouts on Sunday and the American has started with three pars to stay -2.

1451: Garcia's putt on the second just lacks a little bit of pace, but Choi confidently rolls home to close the Spaniard's lead back to two shots.

1448: McGinley is having a cracking day thus far and birdies nine to reach the turn in just 33 shots. He's level with the likes of Harrington and DiMarco on -3.

1447: Woods holes an important putt to save his par at 12, but with the leaders all picking up shots he could do with some birdies.

1446: Two more superb approaches mean that Garcia and Choi will again be putting for birdies at the second.

1444: Jimenez is off to a positive start as he taps home for birdie on two. He's -4 where he joins Boo Weekley who has picked up shots at three and four.

1442: US Open champion Angel Cabrera, like playing partner and compatriot Andres Romero, has opened with three steady pars.

1439: DiMarco's at it again as he knocks in a 30-footer on 17 to get back teh shot he squandered on 16. He's back to -3.

1438: Garcia's birdie putt eases into the hole to great cheers from galleries, there appears to be plenty of support about for the Spaniard. He moves to -7, while Choi sees his putt clip the edge of the hole but refuse to drop.

1436: Els and Broadhurst both contrive to drive out of bounds on the par-five sixth.

1434: Two cracking second shots meanthat Choi and Garcia both have excellent chances of opening birdies.

1433: Harrington rolls home another birdie putt on six and is right in amongst it on -3 now. His putter looks to be working like a dream.

1432: Cink makes his second birdie of the day at six and is sitting pretty at -2.

1430: Our leaders KJ Choi and Sergio Garcia stride on to the first tee. Choi is first up and straight if a little short. Garcia takes an iron and finds the right edge of the fairway.

1427: Westwood's great start hits the buffers at three with a bogey, while DiMarco also drops one at 16 despite a delightful little chip that left him no more than three feet for par.

1424: Casey's round ends on a bit of a sour note as his par putt on 18 takes a late turn right and stays above ground. It's a bogey and 70 for Casey who stands at +1.

1422: After finding the sand from the tee, Tiger can do no better than a bogey-five at ten and drops back to level-par.

1420: Vijay's second birdie of the day at six allows the big Fijian to creep up to -1.

1419: DiMarco made yet another birdie at the par-five 14th and followed it with a solid par at 15. The American is up to -3.

1417: Harrington tickles home a short birdie putt on five and the Irishman joins the group on -2. He certainly has the game to win here but needs to cut out the lapses that always seem to strike when he gets himself in contention in the majors.

1415: Adam Scott is another putting together a challenge. The Australian started with five pars today, but two birdies in three holes have now lifted him to -1.

1413: Casey is holding his round together well and pars at 15, 16 and 17 mean he remains at level-par.

1411: It's back-to-back birdies for Westwood who has started in exemplary style. His putting stroke looks really solid and at -3 he could well have a real say in this come Sunday evening.

1409: Rose finishes up on 18 to complete his 67. Great effort from the Englishman and he's not out of it yet on -1 in the clubhouse.

1408: Stricker continues to take the course to pieces. The American did not manage to birdie the par-five sixth, but another laser-like iron sets up a simple birdie chance that he taps in for his fifth in seven holes. He's now joint-second on -4.

1405: Rose comes within an ace of eclipsing Edberg but his birdie putt at 18 just slides past. It looks like a 67 and he'll join the Swede on -1.

1402: What a round from Edberg, the Swede collapsed over the last four holes yesterday, but a birdie at 18 completes a fantastic round of 67 today. Not a single dropped shot and the Swede sits handily-placed at -1 with the clubhouse lead.

1400: Westwood sinks a ten-footer for birdie at the first and he's off to a flyer, he's now -2.

1358: American Charley Hoffman shot a 70 yesterday, it would have been even better but for a bogey-double bogey finish, and he's at it again today with a birdie at 13 taking him two-under for the day and to level-par for the championship.

1355: A magnificent approach and equally fine putt from Rose secure him a very rare birdie at 17 and take him to -1. He's four-under today and a par down the last will give him a wonderful 67.

1353: It's another immaculate putt from Tiger on the short eighth but he's lacking just a little pace and will have to content himself with par.

1351: Els takes full advantage of that amazing drive by making birdie at two and is into the red at -1.

1350: The top Britons in the field, Alastair Forsyth and Lee Westwood, tee off and both find good spots down the left-side of the first fairway.

1348: Although he's still not quite at his best, Tiger is on the move as his blade really is running hot. Another lengthy putt drops in at seven and the defending champion is ominously up to -1.

1345: Ernie Els is off and running with a par down the first and the Big Easy really opens his shoulders on the second tee with a massive drive of around 370-380 yards that leaves him the smallest of pitches to what is by no means a trifling par-four.

1342: Paul Broadhurst judges the speed of his birdie putt to perfection at the first and is straight into the red numbers at -1.

1340: McGinley has started brightly and leaves the fourth with a spring in his step having rolled home a birdie putt to climb to -2.

1337: Stricker cannot do anything wrong as he strokes home his fourth birdie in five holes at the fifth. The American is up to -3 and could be posting quite a target at this rate.

1335: Padraig Harrington gets off to flyer as his eight-footer for birdie at the first disappears, that takes the popular Irishman under-par at -1.

1334: Tiger cannot convert his birdie putt so it's just a par and he'll see that as a missed chance, he stays at level-par.

1332: Luke Donald finishes with four straight bogeys for a round of 73. He now sits at +6, another disappointing major for the Englishman.

1329: Despite the commotion surrounding his second, Tiger regroups in typically cool style and chips his third to 12-15 feet to leave a birdie chance.

1325: Casey is back to level-par for the time since the second hole yesterday as he taps in for birdie at 14. Can he now survive the trecherous home stretch.

1323: Tiger's second to the par-five sixth leaks a long way right and clatters into the galleries. It strikes a female spectator causing a nasty cut, but she manages a smile as Tiger comes to check on her well-being.

1322: DiMarco's charge gathers yet more pace at 11 as his fifth birdie of the day takes him to -2.

1320: Stewart Cink opens with a birdie to move -1, while Edberg picked up another shot at 14 and now sits at level-par.

1318: A real flurry of action. Rose makes a good up and down for birdie at 14 to move three-under for the day and up to level-par. Vijay sinks an incredible putt from off the green on three for birdie, he's also now level-par, while McGinley chips in from off the green for a birdie at two that takes him into red figures at -1.

1316: Tiger's putter has started to run hot as a 25-footer drops on five to hand him back-to-back birdies. He's now level-par.

1315: The rain is beginning to fall at Carnoustie and conditions only look like getting worse. They'll be plenty of players out on the course hoping to post a under-par score before sitting back and watching the late-starters toil this afternoon.

1313: Nice putt from Casey on 13 brings his third birdie of the day. He's back to +1 and, with the generous par-five 14th to come, is back on the fringes of things.

1310: Johnson lays up on 18 and it proves a wise decision as he spins his wedge back to four feet. The American taps in for par and a superb 68, not a single dropped shot and he now sits at +1 for the championship.

1308: Stricker has started like a house on fire and makes it three birdies on the spin with another fabulous putt at the third. He's up to -2.

1306: Paul McGinley gets his third round underway with a par down the first.

1305: Fasth continues to climb the leaderboard and his second birdie of the day at the par-five sixth has him back to level-par.

1303:Tiger brings the galleries to life by holing his putt on four. It was a monster, some 33 yards and takes the world number one back to +1. Could that get the Tiger going? Brier sinks his tiddler to make it a pair of threes, the Austrian is level-par.

1300: Stricker makes it back-to-back birdies on two and is in the red numbers on -1.

1259: Another wayward drive from Tiger on four means he has to content himself with a cautious approach to the centre-left of the green to take the bunkers out of the equation. Playing partner Brier found the fairway and follows it with a delightful second to five or six feet.

1256: Tremendous long-range putt from DiMarco on nine almost brings another birdie, but he'll settle for a par.

1254: Edberg is making good progress, he's two-under through 13 and yet to drop a shot today. Mind you, he was doing similar yesterday until he finished double-bogey-double-bogey.

1252: Americans Steve Stricker and Nick Watney both open with birdies down the first to move up to level-par.

1250: Sandy Lyle drains a 30-footer for eagle on 14 to rapturous applause from the galleries. His feat is then matched by playing partner Shaun Micheel - a pair of threes, not a bad return. Lyle is +4 and Micheel +3.

1248: DiMarco is straight back in the sadle after his bogey at seven with a birdie at eight, the American seems determined to make a charge.

1245: Another bogey for McIlroy at six but he does well to sink a ten-footer to avoid a double. He's +4.

1243: Early birdie at three gets burly American Rich Beem back to level-par.

1242: DiMarco and Bain both make bogey-fives at seven to drop back.

1240: Poulter makes a par down the last for a round of 70. He will be kicking himself as at one stage he looked in with a real chance of having a say come tomorrow evening, but at +3 he's left himself too much to do.

1239: Tiger really does look a little of out sorts as he takes three putts on the second to drop an early shot. You rarely see the world number one fail to hole out from three or four feet.

1236: Casey reaches the turn in 35 to sit at +2, he could do with a couple of birdies on the way home is he's to make a realistic challenge.

1234: It's another bogey for Poulter on 17 and he's back to +3 after a round that promised so much an hour ago.

1233: Despite finding rough down the right of the fairway on the second, Tiger locates the heart of the green with his approach and has an outside chance of birdie.

1230: Scot Ross Bain, playing with DiMarco, is another enjoying himself this morning and hauls himself back to level-par with his second birdie of the round on six.

1228: Johnson comes within a whisker of eagle on 14 but his putt pulls up one revolution short of the hole. It's another birdie, his third of the day, and the American is back to +1.

1226: Last year's runner-up DiMarco is putting together another challenge as he makes his third birdie of the day on six to move into red figures on -1.

1225: Fine up and down from Rose on ten and he walks to the 11th tee with an important par.

1223: Markus Brier, playing with Woods, starts in splendid style with a birdie, but Tiger cannot follow suit as his 25-footer stays left of the hole - it's a par-four.

1221: Poulter's round really is on the verge of capitulating as he finds the Barry Burn with his drive on 17. But credit to the Englishman as he produces a fine recovery third to give himself an outside chance of escaping with a par.

1218: Australian John Senden produces trick-shot of the week as hiswayward approach to 18 cannons off the iron fence protecting the grandstand on the right, races back across the green and towards out-of-bounds on the left and then strikes a thin post to bounce back towards the green once again.

1216: McIlroy's par putt on four slides past on the low side and it's a first dropped shot of the day for the young Northern Irishman.

1214: Tiger's on the first tee and out with an iron again, but what a difference a day makes as today he finds the left-side of the fairway to put himself in A1 position.

1212: Poulter's fortunes go from bad to worse as he follows his double-bogey by dropping another at 16, he's +2.

1211: Rose bounces back in fine style from his bogeys by holing an excellent putt on nine for birdie. He hits the turn in 34 and is back to +1.

1210: Casey has made birdies at six and seven and is now heading in the right direction at +2.

1208: Masters champion Zach Johnson is putting together a very tidy round. He was right on the cut-mark after two 73s, but is back to +2 through 13 holes and has yet to drop a shot today.

1205: Poulter ends up surrendering two shots after his trip into the undergrowth on 15. A double-bogey six drops him back to +1.

1203: An early birdie for Niclas Fasth. The in-form Swede, who was fancied by many going into the event, got his challenge back on track with a 69 yesterday and will be looking for something as good, if not better today.

1159: Scott Verplank has reached the turn in 34 shots after a birdie at nine. He's two-under today and +1 for the championship.

1157: It's back-to-back bogeys for Rose who takes four at the short par-three.

1155: Chris DiMarco has now birdied one and four and is back up to level-par. There's definitely a very low score out there for the early starters.

1150: Rose cannot sink his par putt and one slips by, he back to +1. Poulter's lie proves not to be favourable and having taken a large clump of rough along with his ball he can only advance it some 70-80 yards into even thicker stuff and is forced to take an unplayable. He'll be playing four and his good work is in real danger of being completely undone.

1145: Poulter's tee-shot on the 15th is pulled left but he gets fortunate at first glance as his ball comes to rest between two nasty gorse bushes in the rough.

1144: Good touch from Rose with his chip on the 7th and he has five feet left for a par.

1142: Rose might be struggling for a par on the seventh as he misses the green left with his approach.

1141: McIlroy pars his first hole as Poulter gets up and down from a trap at the par five 14th for another birdie and he is now -1 for the championship.

1130: Poulter makes par on the 13th while Rose escapes from the bunker at the back of the 6th hole and makes his birdie to join his compatriot on level par for the championship.

1128: Poulter misses from three feet on the 13th and knocks it that far beyond the hole. Irish amateur ace Rory McIlroy on the first tee.

1125: Rose hits a sparkling second shot to the par five sixth but it agonisingly rolls past the hole, to the back of the green and drops into an awaiting bunker. Poulter threatening yet another birdie on the par three 13th.

1122: More good news for the English contingent as Rose gets to +1 with a birdie on the 5th hole. Nick Dougherty joins him on the same score with a birdie on the third while Donald is also +1 after back-to-back birdies on seven and eight.

1105: Poulter's upward surge continues and he is -4 for the day and level overall. Rose picks up abirdie on the fourth to get back to +2 overall.

1058: Scoring looks possible at the moment with Kevin Stadler three under for the day through eight, purtting him alongside Mahan and Poulter on +1 overall. Pelle Edberg had a nightmare finish on Friday but has started steadily with four straight pars to remain at +3.

1045: Donald shows some of his trademark determination and is now two under for the day through four holes. Rose pars his first two holes.

1010: Ian Poulter was also right on the cut mark and he has started but he has got out of the blocks very quickly and is -3 for the day through six holes. American Hunter Mahan got to -4 for the day and level for the championship after seven holes but he drops a shot on the eighth.

1000: Luke Donald scraped into the weekend on +4 and an opening birdie is a good start for the Englishman.