Peter Scrivener

BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

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 sensational round featured eight birdies and one bogey as the US PGA champion 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.

Hatton revealed his pre-Open preparation was an evening round with friends at a nearby pitch and putt course, followed by three pints of a local stout.

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.

Scheffler started the week by revealing his daily wrestle with why he plays the game but his play has shone through the largely gloomy conditions he has played in 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.

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 par. A short missed putt on the 14th cost him a shot and a three-foot birdie try 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.

With the afternoon gloom giving way to evening sun, Scheffler took advantage of greens that were softer and more receptive following the rain to hole three more birdies and edge clear.

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

His charge echoed his performance on the Wirral coast in 2023, when he also shot a second-round 65.

Harman was dubbed “the butcher of Hoylake” during his relentless march to the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool two years ago 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.

He finished third on his Open debut in 2017 after a closing round of 63 at Royal Birkdale.

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 green 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.

He dropped three more shots 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.

His only bogey, at the 18th, saw him post a 68 for a one-under total that will mean the 2019 runner-up will be at Portrush for the weekend.

The top 70 and ties at the end of round two will play the final two rounds.

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 and looks set to make the cut on one over.

He said after Thursday’s round he 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.”

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.

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