The 142nd Open Championship entered its second round at Muirfield today, with Zach Johnson leading a star-studded field after a five-under par opening round.
Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood made their respective moves toward the top of the leaderboard early on, recording a string of birdies in favourable conditions.
Late in the day Miguel Angel Jimenez held his nerve to claim a one-shot lead at the halfway stage in the tournament with a level-par round of 71.
Look back at a intriguing day of action on the Scottish coast with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
8.51pmJoin us tomorrow for all the action from the third round at Muirfield. Until then it's farewell...
8.51pmSo it's the Spanish seadog Miguel Angel Jimenez (-3) leading after two rounds of the Open Championship. The weather forecast tomorrow is more conducive to good scoring, so the early starters could well be challenging. After all, it's not called 'moving day' for nothing!
8.48pmJimmy Mullen (+8) is currently negotiating the par-five 17th, so he's by no means home and dry. If he fails in his quest to make the cut, the amateur championship will belong to Matthew Fitzpatrick (+7). Either way it'll be a baby-faced Englishman.
8.47pmLEADERBOARD: (-3) Jimenez; (-2) Stenson, Westwood, Woods, D. Johnson; (-1) Laird, Cabrera-Bello, Z Johnson, Cabrera; (E) Moore; (+1) Spieth, Clarke, Schwartzel, Scott Simpson, Molinari, Watson, Poulter, Mickelson; (+2) Leonard, Mahan, Day, Matsuyama; (+3) Wagner, O'Meara, Lehman, English, Donaldson, Grace, Kapur, Wiesberger, Curtis, Streelman; (+4) Gallacher, McDowell, Bourdy, De la Riva, Kaymer, Coetzee, Duke, Tiley; (+5) Willett, Fraser, Jacobson, Kuchar, Sink, Snedeker, Bjorn, Teater; (+6) Yang, Lyle, Harrington, Garcia, Fisher, Lowry, DeLaet, Els, Clark, Kim, Wright; (+7) Fitzpatrick, Henley, Van Pelt, Cauley, Dufner, Couples, Bradley, Fernandez-Castano; (+8) Weekley, Jaidee, Ramsey, Lawrie, Ogilvy, Brown, Senior, Hamilton, Ilonen, Wood, Choi, Blixt, Pettersson, Sterne, Katayama, Mullen
8.38pmAs it stands, the cut is projected at eight-over-par. Those missing out include Alvaro Quiros (+9), Kyle Stanley (+9), Camilo Villegas (+9), Bill Haas (+9), Marcel Siem (+9), Nicolas Colsaerts (+9), Jim Furyk (+10), Luke Donald (+10), Justin Rose (+10), John Senden (+11), Tom Watson (+11), Thorbjorn Olesen (+12), Rory McIlroy (+12), Rickie Fowler (+12), David Duval (+13), Matteo Manassero (+15), Sir Nick Faldo (+15),
8.33pmBOGEY! Like ZJ, it's a dropped shot to finish for Angel Cabrera (-1).
8.30pmCabrera (-2) digs his ball out from the cabbage and leaves himself a bit to do for a four.
8.28pmThomas Bjorn (+5) finishes with a bogey for a round of 74. He'll go out early tomorrow and could well challenge the top, it's not out of the question.
8.26pmCabrera (-2) went way right with his tee shot at 18. He's allowed a drop within one club length and gets a decent lie. However, he tugs his approach to the green and is scrambling for par. That effectively confirms Jimenez's place at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage.
8.22pmBOGEY! Zach Johnson (-1) lets another one go at 18 to finish with a four-over 75. By no means a disaster for the 2007 Masters champion.
8.18pmZJ (-2), once again from thick rough on 18, chops it onto the green. If he can save par from there, though, it'll feel like a shot gained. It's a long way from the cup.
8.16pmCabrera (-2) going with the big stick at 18, looks like trouble for the Argentine.
8.14pmZJ (-2) from the wheat with his second shot at 18. A radio goes off as he stands over the ball, but no Tiger-style tantrums. He's very mild mannered, even with tension soaring. Not exactly a great recovery and he's got a battle to make par.
8.06pmVery few players have been able to stiff their approaches, firing at the flag is risky business on these greens. It's just out of the question, really. It's actually a surprise to see so many Americans crowding the top of the leaderboard, considering a lot of their golf consists of target practice on soft, watered courses. They're doing very well so far this week.
8pmZach Johnson (-2) flew his approach to the 17th over the flag, setting up a decent birdie opportunity. However, he's unable to take advantage and remains two-under-par. The American is three-over for his second round as he heads to the last.
7.52pmA clutch putt at the 18th to finish for Phil Mickelson (+1), who signs for a 74.
7.50pmThe scoring has followed a similar pattern to yesterday, with the afternoon starters finding the course a far more troubling prospect. If that remains the case tomorrow, it could well be an advantage starting from around four-over. And you know who's at four-over, don't you? That's right, G-Mac. When he makes the cut he wins.
7.46pmI predicted that Tiger Woods would be in the lead by the end of the day. Well, it looks like he'll be just one shot off the pace. Cut me some slack, yeah?
7.42pmBrandt Snedeker (+5), as we all saw, completely fell to pieces on the back nine. He ended up signing for 79, but that's only eight shots adrift. And let me assure you, the lead will not be stretched by the close of play.
7.41pmAll this makes for a truly exciting weekend. Players who probably didn't give themselves much of a chance after the second gamble around Muirfield are now licking their lips.
7.39pmSOLE LEADER: (-3) Miguel Angel Jimenez.
7.38pmBOGEY! Cabrera (-2) tickles one from right to left, gives it too much borrow. That's another one gone. With every shot dropped, the leaderboard gets tighter. More and more players coming into the equation.
7.35pmZach Johnson (-2) on the tee at the par-three 16th, he puts the horrors of previous hole behind him by finding the green. Devilish putt from there, but it's uphill. Cabrera (-3) chips on at 15, but like Johnson he'll have a tough one.
7.32pmCabrera (-3) goes off the green at 15. Mickelson (+1) with his third shot from the rough at the par-five 17th. He's knee deep in the wheat and races one through the green and off the back.
7.30pmUS Open champion Justin Rose (+10) finishes with another bogey and will definitely be missing the weekend.
7.29pmTIED FOR THE LEAD! Johnson's blemish at 15 leaves Jimenez and Cabrera out in front on three-under-par.
7.28pmDOUBLE BOGEY! Zach Johnson (-2) takes an eternity over his bogey putt, but watches on as it slips agonisingly past the hole.
7.25pmPoulter (+1) with his third shot from the greenside bunker at 18, that's a beauty. He'll tap in for a level-par 71. He's gone quietly today, but that's a fantastic round that has him right in contention.
7.24pmErnie Els (+6) posts 74 and it looks like the defending champion will be around for the weekend. He finished bogey-bogey.
7.15pmDOUBLE BOGEY! Incredibly, Mickelson (+1) four-putts the 16th and falls to one-over-par. Very ugly indeed. He's now three-over for his second round after he had instilled a degree of consistency to his play.
7.14pmBOGEY! He'll be happy with that recovery, Cabrera (-3), who ends up dropping just the one shot at 14. It leaves Johnson (-4) in front on his own, but that's a decent result.
7.10pmCabrera (-4) takes his third shot from the fairway at the par-four 14th. He didn't get the right connection, catching it very thin, and it raced across the putting surface. That's ended up in Zach Johnson territory, only the Argentine looks like giving away a couple of shots than the American did.
7.03pmShort birdie putt for Snedeker (+3) to breathe new life into his faltering challenge, but that's no good. His round has soured since a birdie at 12, letting five shots go in the three holes after.
7.01pmBOGEY! Zach Johnson (-4) pays the price for an errant approach into the 14th, ends up dropping a shot. The putt broke left late on and slipped past the hole.
7pmMickelson (-1) runs his birdie putt past the hole at 15. That looked like it would never stop. Rose (+9) with a long birdie putt at 17, nearly drops but lips out. Unlucky, looks like he'll be free this weekend.
6.53pmZ. Johnson (-5) is in a spot of bother at 14, missing the green to the left with his approach. Mickelson (-1), still plodding away, finds the green at 15.
6.49pmNot heard much of Ian Poulter (+1) today. He's level-par through 16 holes of his second round. Solid golf.
6.47pmDustin Johnson (-2) reaches the hole with his putt but it didn't quite have the line. That's a 72 for the American, which puts him right in contention as we head into the weekend.
6.46pmWell judged putt from Bubba Watson (+1) at 18 but it falls short. He taps in for a 73.
6.44pmMickelson (-1) is safely on the fairway at 15. Zach Johnson (-5) will take his second shot from the fairway at 14, although it was a slightly conservative tee shot. Can't blame him for that.
6.42pmDustin Johnson (-2) from the fairway at 18, it's on but it will have to travel through a few checkpoints on its way to the cup. Watson (+1) shapes his from left to right, as usual, and finishes a few yards from DJ's ball. A couple of birdie opportunities for the American duo, tough ones though.
6.39pmMickelson (-1) rolls in at the 14th to remain one-under-par and in touch.
6.38pmBIRDIE! Zach Johnson (-5) is back to where he started the day! Super putt from the fringe at the back of the par-three 13th. It tracked all the way, and that's successive birdies for the American.
6.37pmCabrera (-4) locates the green at 12. Mickelson (-1) with his third shot from the bunker at 14, very well played. Not much left to save par. Dustin Johnson (-2) finds the fairway the 18th fairway. Bubba Watson (+1) is also on the short grass.
6.32pmBIRDIE! Zach Johnson (-4) birdies 12 to join Cabrera at the top of the leaderboard once again. He's not going away!
6.31pmDustin Johnson (-2) sees an opportunity to get back to three-under go begging at the par-five 17th.
6.31pmMickelson (-1) with his second from the fairway at 14, can only find the bunker at the front of the green.
6.28pmTRIPLE BOGEY! It's gone from bad to worse for Snedeker (+3), who missed a birdie putt and then lipped out from short range. That left him even further away. He then missed that before tapping in for a seven, four of which were putts. Complete disintegration, and you hate to see that happen.
6.21pmBOGEY! Back-to-back bogeys for Snedeker (E) means that he is now three-over for his second trip around Muirfield, even-par for the championship.
6.20pmMickelson (-1) judges his par putt to perfection at the 13th to stay at one-under, three shots off the lead.
6.17pmDustin Johnson (-2) stands on the tee at the par-five 17th. He's kept his scorecard in decent nick since the last par five at nine. He sends one down the fairway, it looks OK. No doubt over Bubba Watson's (+1) ball though, as he unleashes another rocket down the fairway. He's looking to get at least one shot back after bogeying the 16th.
6.12pmLike everybody else, I'm a big fan of Miguel Angel Jimenez. Not only is he an extremely talented golfer, but he's one of the coolest on tour. I especially like how you can only understand every third or fourth word that passes his lips. When asked if a 49-year-old could win the Open Championship, he replied: "Why not?"
6.06pmCATASTROPHE! Nicolas Colsaerts (+10) was inside the cut line, which currently stands at seven-over, as he stood on the 15th tee. However, nine blows later an he finds himself 10-over-par.
6.01pmBOGEY! It's a five to finish for Rafael Cabrera-Bello. A disappointing 74 for the Spaniard, but he's still one-under for the week. Keep your head up, son.
6pmBOGEY! A very good putt from Dustin Johnson (-2) sees him leak just the one shot at 15. He was in the bunker and then the rough, so it's a pretty good result.
5.58pmZach Johnson (-3) gives himself a chance of escaping the 10th with par courtesy of a delightful little chip from the rough.
5.55pmBIRDIE! That's now three shots off the leading pack, as Cabrera (-4) snuggles up to the hole with an eagle attempt at the ninth, allowing him a gimme for birdie. The Argentine takes the outright lead once more.
5.54pmBIRDIE! A tospy-turvy round continues for Mickelson (-1) with a third birdie of the day at 11. He's two shots off the leading pack.
5.54pmBOGEY! Snedeker (-1) drops a shot at 13. He found the rough with his tee shot and slashed out, leaving himself with some distance to traverse to save par. Couldn't do it.
5.53pmDustin Johnson (-3) comes racing out of the rough at 15, he's off the back of the green. He takes a drop after it rests on some television cables. Delicate chip from there, but he does well.
5.46pmMickelson (E) hits a wedge onto the 11th green and will putt for a birdie. Cabrera (-3) is on the fringe at the ninth in two, so he could well be taking the outright lead very soon.
5.44pmBIRDIE! Zach Johnson (-3) takes advantage of the profitable par-five ninth with a birdie-four to get himself back into a share of the lead.
5.40pmBOGEY! Mickelson (E) begins the back nine with a five at 10.
5.37pmNEW CLUBHOUSE LEADER! Miguel Angel Jimenez (-3) saves from the sand at 18 to get around Muirfield in a level-par 71. That's good enough for a one-shot lead in the clubhouse.
5.35pmCabrera (-3) cosies a birdie putt up to the hole at the eighth. Taps in for par to retain a share of the lead.
5.32pmLEADERBOARD: (-3) Jimenez, D Johnson, Cabrera; (-2) Stenson, Westwood, Woods, Z Johnson; (-1) Cabrera-Bello, Snedeker, Mickelson, Laird; (E) Moore, Watson, Duke; (+1) Spieth, Clarke, Schwartzel, Scott, Simpson, Molinari, Poulter, Matsuyama, Tiley, Wright; (+2) Leonard, Mahan, Day, Villegas, Mullen, Teater; (+3) Wagner, O'Meara, Lehman, English, Donaldson, Grace, Kapur, Wiesberger, Curtis, Kaymer, Streelman, Bjorn, Calcavecchia
5.23pmBIRDIE! Mickelson (-1) once again dips under par with a four at the ninth. A mixed bag on the front nine for Lefty with a double, two birdies and a bogey on his card.
5.21pmBOGEY! ZJ (-2) is seeing his round head south with another bogey at the eighth.
5.19pmJimenez (-3) leaves his birdie putt at 17 to the right. A par or better at 18 and the Spaniard will take the clubhouse lead. Either way, I think it's safe to say he'll be burning a fine cigar and pouring himself a glass of rioja.
5.17pmMickelson (E) feeds his eagle putt at the ninth down a shiny slope, leaving himself with something left for birdie. Cabrera (-3) looking for a birdie at seven, will have to settle for a par. Good effort from distance.
5.15pmJimenez (-3) sets up a birdie chance at the par-five 17th. Come on, Miguel...
5.10pmBIRDIE! Now Dustin Johnson (-3) has grabbed a share of the lead with a birdie at the 12th. The top of the leaderboard is chopping and changing more times than a choppy, changy thing.
5.09pmOof, ZJ (-3) loses his tee shot at the eighth to the right.
5.07pmBOGEY! That quickly becomes three as Snedeker (-1) doubles the 10th, which sees him slip behind clubhouse leaders Stenson, Westwood and Woods.
5.05pmBOGEY! The leaders are coming in. Cabrera (-3) becomes the latest to bogey six, meaning we have a four-way share at the top between the Argentine, ZJ, Snedeker and Jimenez.
5.03pmCabrera (-4) is in a spot of bother on the sixth, which has proven meddlesome today. He plays a bump and run onto the green, it's nicely weighted and that's a chance to save par and remain in the lead on his own.
5pmMissing the cut (as it stands): Billy Horschel (+7), Paul Lawrie (+8), Geoff Ogilvy (+8), John Senden (+8), KJ Choi (+9), Tom Watson (+9), Sir Nick Faldo (+9), Jim Furyk (+10), Luke Donald (+10), Rickie Fowler (+12), Rory McIlroy (+13), Matteo Manassero (+15)
4.55pmBOGEY! ZJ (-3), for the first time in a long time, drops out of the lead with a bogey at the sixth. That leaves Cabrera (-4) leading the way.
4.53pmIt's awfully tight at the top of the leaderboard, with 12 players under par. With the lead currently at four-under, though, anyone from around four-over has to be considered a challenger. The cut is currently projected at six-over.
4.49pmBIRDIE! Snedeker (-3) moves to within one of the leading duo with a birdie-four at the ninth. He nearly holed for an eagle, but settle for just the one shot gained.
4.48pmTIED FOR THE LEAD! Angel Cabrera (-4) is on the charge! He's birdied the fourth and fifth to join ZJ (-4) atop the leaderboard. The Argentine lost a Masters playoff to Adam Scott (+1) in April, but knows how to win a Major (2007 US Open, 2009 Masters). Never won the Claret Jug, though.
4.44pmDOUBLE BOGEY! I gave Cabrera-Bello (-1) too much credit, thinking that he'd tidy up for bogey. Alas, he's replicated Watson by three-putting for a double. That's got to hurt.
4.42pmDOUBLE BOGEY! It's a horrible three-putt from Watson (E) on the 10th green that shunts him back down to level-par. He's trudging to the par-four 11th now. Can't blame the green speed for that short miss.
4.41pmBOGEY! Dear oh dear, Cabrera-Bello (-2) drops another shot, this time it's his putter that lets him down. It was a really poor effort, which missed to the left by a good couple yard or so.
4.38pmUnbelievable... Jimenez (-3) hits his second shot at 15 onto the front of the green, but the ball just keeps on going. So much so, it's off the back of the putting surface. Watson (-2) saw his chip run and run at 10 to leave him with a nasty one for par as well. Putting on marble.
4.35pmBOGEY! Frustration for Zach Johnson (-4) as he misses a short par putt at the fifth. His lead is back down to one.
4.30pmBOGEY! Jimenez (-3) limits the damage to just one shot at the 14th.
4.29pmBubba Watson (-2), with dynamite in his clubhead, hacks the ball out of the rough at 10 with an iron and finds the back of the green. Dustin Johnson (-2) is also on and putting for a birdie.
4.27pmSnedeker (-2) makes his four at the sixth to stay two-under-par. He's one-over for his second round as he heads to the par-three seventh.
4.25pmZJ (-5) found the rough stuff with his tee shot at the fifth, but was able to chop out onto the fairway. His third shot lands on the green. It's a difficult chance for birdie, but a chance nonetheless.
4.21pmJimenez (-4) with his third shot at the par-four 14th, it's on the green but this pin is one of the most difficult to get close to today. He's some way from the cup.
4.19pmBIRDIE! DJ (-2) does exactly what he needs to do: take advantage of the par fives. He's played the first two in three-under-par, but the last one isn't until the 17th. What shape will his scorecard be in by then?
4.18pmBIRDIE! Watson (-2) gets back to two under with a birdie at the par-five ninth. Two outrageous approach shots set up a very good chance of an eagle, but he couldn't profit. Still, he's moving back in the right direction.
4.13pmBIRDIE! ZJ (-5) has still taken the outright lead thanks to a brilliant birdie at the par-three fourth. That should settle any nerves.
4.12pmCORRECTION: That wasn't a bogey for Jimenez (-4), it was par. My mistake. However...
4.10pmBOGEY! And then there was one... again. Jimenez (-3) nearly saves himself once again at the 13th, but a great up-and-down didn't get it's just rewards. Zach Johnson (-4) once again leads the way on his own.
4.07pmSnedeker (-2) showing skill from the sand with a well-judged bunker shot at the par-three seventh. He has a short one left for par.
4.05pmDOUBLE BOGEY! Justin Rose (+7) sliding rapidly towards a weekend of inactivity with a double at the sixth.
4.03pmZJ (-4) finds the green at the par-three fourth.
4.01pmBOGEY! Dustin Johnson (-1) cards his fourth bogey in seven holes. An eagle at the par-five fifth is the only reason he's under par. It's all very well crushing it off the tee, but the short putts are worth just as much.
4pmBOGEY! Bubba Watson (-1) shoots a bogey-four at the seventh to halt his good progress today.
3.58pmGullane, East Lothian, resembles something of a Mediterranean haven this week. Blazing sun, blue waters... absolutely idyllic.
3.56pmHenrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods are in the clubhouse on two-under-par. They'll enjoy this afternoon. Two out of those three could well be in tomorrow's final group.
3.53pmBOGEY! Just two at the top now as Cabrera-Bello (-3) runs his par putt past the hole.
3.52pmZJ (-4) leaves his birdie putt at the third short of the cup. Taps in for par and remains one-over for his second round.
3.50pmBIRDIE! Mickelson (-1) gets himself back into the red at the par-three fourth. An ode to a terrific tee shot.
3.49pmCabrera-Bello (-4) gets lucky with a chip onto the green at 11. He shoved at it and nearly went in the bunker, but it finishes on the green. Although that's a horrible putt he's left himself.
3.47pmZJ (-4) locates the green at three and has around 20 foot left for a birdie.
3.46pmI can't see the 68s of Westwood (-2) and Schwartzel (+1) being beaten today. Anything around 71 (even-par) will be tremendous for the afternoon starters.
3.44pmBIRDIE! Three at the top now as Jimenez (-4) arrests a run of six straight pars with a birdie at 11. He joins Cabrera-Bello and ZJ on four-under-par.
3.42pmMickelson (E) produces a bit of magic off the tee at the par-three fourth to give himself an excellent chance of grabbing a shot back. McIlroy (+9), who shot a bogey-four on the previous hole, looks like giving more shots away after finding the jungle to the right of the green. Do not expect him to make the weekend, even with the cut now projected at five-over and drifting.
3.40pmBOGEY! Meanwhile, his namesake Dustin Johnson (-2) leaks a shot at sixth.
3.39pmZJ (-4) nearly holes a birdie putt at the second but taps in for par.
3.38pmJustin Rose (+5) is one-over through four, but the cut continues to drift with him.
3.37pmBubba Watson (-2) is one-under through fives holes of his second round. Great start.
3.33pmSnedeker (-2) also recovers from a double at the fourth by parring the fifth.
3.31pmMickelson (E) is in for par at the third. He remains two-over for his second round after a shooting a double on the previous hole.
3.24pmA superb bunker shot from Jimenez (-3) gave the Spaniard a chance of saving par at the 10th, which he took to remain three-under-par. He had one foot in the trap and one out, but still managed to control the ball expertly.
3.23pmBOGEY! Oh my word... Johnson (-4) put a lovely stroke on his long putt to save par at the first. It looked like it might just curl in, but finished a hair's breadth from dropping. He took his time approaching it, hoping it would eventually vanish, but it's a bogey to start for the American.
3.16pmDOUBLE BOGEY! Snedeker (-2) has made a mess of the par-three fourth, shooting a five.
3.15pmDOUBLE BOGEY! Mickelson (E) pays the penalty for a poor tee shot at the second, tapping in for a six which drops him back to level-par for the week.
3.14pmEAGLE! Dustin Johnson (-3) gets back to where he started the day. After bogeys at the first and fourth, the big-hitting American's holed out for an eagle-three at the fifth.
3.11pmMcIlroy (+8) from distance at the second, it misses by a whisker. He judged it almost perfectly, but when it's not running for you...
3.09pmZach Johnson (-5) slices his tee shot to the right and that's in the cabbage. He went at it with an iron and still missed the target, not a good start for the leader.
3.07pmJimenez (-3) rattles in a par putt at the ninth. He's hanging on in there with a birdie, a bogey and seven pars on the front nine.
3.06pmMcIlroy (+8) is on the green at the second but it'll be a fantastic putt if it drops for birdie. He's a fair distance away.
3.05pmMickelson (-2) found the bunker with his tee shot at the second. It would be an awkward stance for a right hander, but Lefty digs it onto the fairway.
3.04pmFrancesco Molinari (+1) goes round in 74 to leave himself six shots off the current lead on one-over-par. No birds today for the Italian, just a bogey at six and a double at 13.
3pmBOGEY! Cabrera-Bello (-4) leaks a shot at the eighth to leave Zach Johnson (-5) out in front on his own. The American is making his way to the first tee now.
2.58pmMcIlroy (+8), on the green in three after finding the rough with his tee shot, saves par at the first.
2.57pmBIRDIE! A short one drops for Snedeker (-4) at the third to see him pull within one shot of the lead. He's a major contender this week.
2.56pmTiger Woods: "I grinded all day today, I hadn't made a birdie putt since the third hole. It was nice that I made one [on the 18th]. This golf course is getting quick, [the greens] are drying out as the day goes on. It will be a fun weekend, this golf course is difficult, it'll be interesting how much moisture they put on."
2.51pmBad start for McIlroy (+8), as he plonks an iron shot into the rough with his tee shot at the first. Mickelson (-2) bombs one down the middle of the fairway.
2.48pmWith the apparent contrast in difficulty between the front and back nine, expect to see the lead at the top stretched before coming back in before the close of play.
2.47pmTIED FOR THE LEAD! Rafael Cabrera-Bello (-5) makes it a two-way tie for the lead by sinking a birdie at the par-three seventh.
2.45pmBOGEY! Justin Rose (+5) drops a shot at the second to slide beyond the four-over cut mark.
2.44pmWebb Simpson (+1) posts 70 for his second round.
2.43pmBOGEY! Poulter (+2) shoots five at the par-four first hole to slip to two-over-par.
2.41pmLEADERBOARD: (-5) Z Johnson; (-4) Cabrera-Bello; (-3) Jimenez, Snedeker; (-2) Stenson, Westwood, Woods, Johnson, Mickelson, Cabrera; (-1) Laird, Watson, Fernandez-Castano, Duke; (E) Moore, Matsuyama, Mullen, Wright; (+1) Spieth, Clarke, Schwartzel, Scott, Simpson, Molinari, Kapur, Cink, Poulter, Clark, Villegas, Calcavecchia, Teater, Tiley
2.36pmClick here to read about Tiger Woods's even-par 71.
2.33pmGraeme McDowell (+4) finishes with a par and should be sticking around for the weekend.
2.32pmBIRDIE! Woods (-2) finishes with a birdie at 18, walking after it with his putter held aloft. That's a brilliant way to finish, a real confidence booster after a difficult second round. It could well see him leading (along with Westwood) by the halfway stage.
2.30pmIt seems, like yesterday, the afternoon starters will get the worst of the conditions.
2.29pmLee Westwood: "I made the most of the softer conditions. I wouldn't say it was really soft, but it's beginning to get shiny out there."
2.27pmRose (+4) finds the middle of the cup for a par at the first.
2.25pmMcDowell (+4) and Woods (-1) both land their approach shots to the 18th on the putting surface. Both have uphill putts for a couple of birds.
2.21pmJustin Rose (+4) was wayward with his opening tee shot, but found a decent lie. His second shot finishes short of the green. Jimenez (-3) taps in for par at the sixth.
2.18pmWoods (-1) comes up short with a birdie putt at the par-five 17th. He stays one-over for his second round, one-under for the championship.
2.17pmMartin Laird (-1) has put himself right in the mix with a 71. Click here to read what he had to say about his second round at Muirfield.
2.16pmClick here to read the story of Lee Westwood's second round. Or here to learn of Sergio Garcia's troubles.
2.09pmAdam Scott (+1) also comes in with a 72 but is just six shots off the pace. One birdie and two bogeys amounts to a solid round for the Australian. Like Schwartzel, a definite dark horse heading into the weekend.
2.07pmLuke Donald (+10) will miss the weekend after carding 72 for his second round.
2.04pmBOGEY, BOGEY! Cabrera-Bello (-3) drops a shot at the fourth, while Dustin Johnson (-2) starts his second round with a bogey.
2.03pmCharl Schwartzel (+1), the third player in that group, matches Westwood (-2) with a 68 to see him not only safely inside the cut, but with an outside chance over the weekend. Another three-under round tomorrow and who knows where he could be come Sunday.
2.02pmSergio Garcia (+6) finishes bogey-par-bogey-bogey to leave himself in danger of missing the cut at Muirfield. He posts a two-over 73 to leave himself two shots off the projected four-over cut mark.
1.59pmBOGEY! Lee Westwood (-2) drops a shot on the final hole to post a three-under 68. He was tied for the lead at one stage but found the back nine problematic. Still two-under-par for the week and right in this.
1.56pmWoods (-1) trickles his birdie putt down the hill at 16 and taps in for par. McDowell (+4) sinks for par as well, keeping his head just above the parapet.
1.53pmNot a bad shot from the trap by Westwood (-3), as he looks to get in with a four-under 67. He's got around 10 feet to salvage par.
1.50pmWoods (-1) finds the dancefloor at 16. McDowell (+4) also hits the target. Westwood (-3) will take his third shot at 18 from the greenside bunker.
1.47pmBOGEY! Jimenez (-3) falls back to three-under-par with a bogey at the par-three fourth. His tee shot missed the green to the right and he couldn't get up and down to save par.
1.44pmWoods (-1) is holing par putts aplenty. Another knee-knocker goes down at the 15th. It's hard work for the world number one at the moment, but his blade is in fine working order. He's one-over for his second round with three holes remaining.
1.41pmCLOSE! McDowell (+4) nearly holes his shot from the bunker at 15. It hit the hole but stayed out. Lovely touch from the sand.
1.38pmWestwood (-3) saves par at the par-five 17th. He was on the green in three but miles from the cup. His first putt left him with work to do, but a good putt keeps his round going at four-under-par.
1.36pmMcDowell (+4) sees his approach to the 15th hit the green but gather into a bunker on the right. Unfortunate. Woods (-1), plodding along, attacks the pin but also runs off to the right. An easier shot than his playing partner, though, as he's not on the beach.
1.34pmDOUBLE BOGEY! Molinari (+1) drops back to one-over par after a double at the 14th. He's now three-over for his second round and yet to pick up a shot today.
1.27pmWoods (-1) saves par at the 14th after a great up-and-down.
1.26pmBOGEY! McDowell (+4) sees his putt to save par at the 14th circle the perimeter and stay out. It defied gravity. Frustration for the Northern Irishman.
1.24pmRyan Moore (E) also signs for 70 and is even-par for the championship.
1.22pmHenrik Stenson (-2) posts a one-under-par round of 70, leaving him tied for seventh on two-under-par for the championship. Good round from the Swede, who struck five birdies today. A double at the sixth looks ugly, but a few have found that hole difficult today.
1.19pmWoods (-1) with his second shot from the fairway at the 14th, runs off the back of the green. He'll need a decent up-and-down shot from there. McDowell (+3) creeps onto the front of the green.
1.14pmWestwood (-3) saves par at the 16th.
1.13pmBOGEY! Darren Clarke (+1) finishes with a bogey at 18 to come in with an even-par 72. He's one-over for the championship.
1.11pmMartin Laird (-1) posts 71 for his second round, leaving him one-under-par for the championship. His round included five birdies, four of which were in a row between nine and 12.
1.09pmBIRDIE! Jimenez (-4) started with a par but has just birdied the second to join fellow Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello on four-under.
1.08pmBIRDIE! Stenson (-2) moves back to two-under-par with a birdie at the 17th.
1.05pmWestwood (-3) loses his tee shot at the par-three 16th to the right. It's off the green but by no means a disaster. Schwartzel (E) finds the sand.
1.03pmWoods (-1) saves par at the 13th.
1.01pmBIRDIE! McDowell (+3) reads the left-to-right break perfectly to drop in for a much-needed birdie at the 13th.
1pmWoods (-1) putting uphill from distance at 13, falls well short and has a nervy one to save par. Laird (-1) from the bunker at 18, pitches it onto the fairway.
12.59pmCharl Schwartzel (E) is four-under for today's round, which puts him level-par for the championship. Dazzling round so far, joint-best of the day alongside Westwood (-3), who has just saved par at the 15th.
12.58pmLuke Donald (+8) is now one-under through 13 holes of his second round at Muirfield. It's not looking good for him.
12.57pmWoods (-1) finds the green at the par-three 13th. McDowell (+4), flirting with the cut mark, pitches his pin-high but the firmness of the green means it rolls to the back. Westwood (-3) sees his birdie putt at 15 slip past the cup.
12.53pmWestwood (-3) scoops out from the bunker at 15 and has a putt for birdie.
12.52pmBOGEY! Laird (-1) drops another shot at the 17th after finding trouble off the tee.
12.51pmWoods (-1) with a putt for birdie at 12, leaves it inches from the cup.
12.49pmMcDowell (+4) has dropped shots at 10 and 11 and now sees a birdie putt just miss the hole at 12. He's even-par for today.
12.49pmWestwood (-3) bombs one down the fairway at 15, but it skips off the firm ground and runs into a bunker. That went a long, long way. Around 350/360 yards with the wind behind him.
12.46pmA poor finish has cost Jordan Speith (+3) a place on the leaderboard. He's in with a one-over 72, leaving him three-over for the championship. It was looking rosy for the teenage Texan until he doubled the 15th and followed that with bogeys at 16 and 17.
12.41pmSo back-to-back bogeys for Westwood (-3) has him four-under for his second round. He has lost that bit of momentum as he approaches the final four holes.
12.39pmBOGEY, BOGEY! Westwood (-3) gives another one back at 14. Woods (-1) does the same at 11. A few shots beginning to drain away now, maybe the course is starting to bite back as it did yesterday.
12.36pmWestwood (-4) finds trouble off the tee at 14, as does Laird (-2) at 17. Woods (-2) chipping onto the green at 11, leaves himself a tricky one to save par. McDowell (+2) has an awkward stance from the trap, gets it on the green. Spieth (+1), who has dropped three shots in the last two holes, gives himself a great opportunity to get back to level-par.
12.32pmMcDowell (+2) with his second shot from the rough at 11, he'll take his third from the sand. Woods (-2) comes up short of the green.
12.28pmLaird (-2) saves par at the 16th.
12.25pmBOGEY! Westwood (-4) came up short with his tee shot at the par-three 13th and putted to within five feet of the cup. He left his saving putt to the right of the hole and gives a shot back.
12.22pmSAVE! Woods (-2) makes his putt coming back and stays at two-under-par.
12.21pmWoods (-2) with a long birdie putt from off the green at 10, runs it a good 10 foot past the hole. He could be letting another one go there.
12.18pmLEADERBOARD: (-5) Westwood (12), Z. Johnson; (-4) Cabrera-Bello; (-3) Jimenez, D. Johnson, Snedeker; (-2) Laird (15), Moore (14), Stenson (13), Woods (9), Mickelson, Cabrera; (-1) Molinari (8), Fisher (2), Hamilton (1), Watson, Fernandez-Castano, Duke; (E) Spieth (16), Clarke (14), Mahan (10), Kapur (5), Aiken, Wiesberger, Matsuyama, Mullen, Wright
12.13pmTIED FOR THE LEAD! Westwood (-5) duly knocks in his tiddler to join Zach Johnson at the top of the leaderboard on five-under-par. He's six-under for today's round, simply stunning.
12.07pmWestwood (-4) dials in his approach to the 12th to set up another birdie opportunity. Resplendent golf from the Englishman.
12.05pmBIRDIE! A much-needed bird for McDowell (+2) at the ninth. He made the green in two and lagged a putt within inches.
12.04pmWoods (-2) misses by a whisker with his birdie putt at the ninth.
12.01pmWestwood (-4) keeps his round going with par at the 11th. He's five-under today and playing great.
12pmNews from the R&A on the projected cut. At the moment, it stands at three-over, which means a few big names need to get a motor on. The afternoon starters are yet to go, which means that could well drift out. Still, Harrington (+4) is on the 15th and will be looking to save himself an anxious afternoon. Luke Donald (+7) really needs to get a move on, he's currently tackling the 10th. Nicolas Colsaerts, Tom Watson, Justin Rose and Keegan Bradley will start their second rounds this afternoon on four-over. And, of course, Rory McIlroy (+8) will need a stellar round if he is to make the weekend.
11.53amBOGEY! Laird (-2) saw his four-hole birdie streak come to an end at the 13th and he's now dropped a shot at the 14th.
11.53amSpieth (-1) just starting to come undone as he approaches the finish. He's scrambling for par at the 16th after dropping two shots on the previous hole.
11.52amWoods (-2) is on the tee at the par-five ninth, but he's left that out to the right. Gets lucky with his lie in the rough. McDowell (+3) bombs one down the middle of the fairway.
11.49amDOUBLE BOGEY! Spieth (-1) drops two shots at the 15th and falls to one-under-par.
11.46amMark O'Meara (+3) signs for a seven-over 78, leaving him three-over-par for the tournament. A birdie at 12 is the only saving grace of a disheartening second round. He'll make the cut, though, which at the moment lies around five or six-over.
11.43amWestwood (-4) just misses with a birdie attempt at the 10th. Good effort from around 20 feet.
11.42amBOGEY! Woods (-2) joins Moore on two-under after three-putting the eighth.
11.41amBIRDIE! Ryan Moore (-2) picks up another shot at the 12th and moves onto two-under.
11.39amCharl Schwartzel (+1) is three-under through nine today and looks like making the cut, barring another back-nine meltdown.
11.38amTom Lehman (+2), who signed for a three-under 68 yesterday, is five-under through 16 holes of his second round.
11.36amLuke Donald (+7) is two-under through eight holes of his second round. He picked up shots at the first and third as he battles to make the weekend at Muirfield.
11.36amSpieth (-3) chopping out from the thick stuff at the 15th, he goes off the back of the green and is scrambling for par there. Molinari (-2), from off the green, putting for a birdie at the sixth, never really had a chance.
11.33amStenson (-2) is on the green in two at the 12th, looking for a birdie. Laird (-3) misses to the left with his birdie putt at 13.
11.32amWoods (-3) with his second shot from the fairway at the eighth, he's on the green but miles from the cup. Westwood (-4) sends his tee shot at the 10th bounding down the fairway.
11.28amBIRDIE! Westwood (-4) sinks his fifth birdie of the day to get to within one of the leader Zach Johnson! He'll take on the 469-yard par-four 10th now.
11.26amWoods (-3) splits the fairway with his tee shot at the eighth. Laird (-3) hits the heart of the green at the par-three 13th and looking for a fifth birdie in a row.
11.24amSpieth (-3) leaves his birdie putt at 14 on the edge of the hole. He stays one-under for his second round, three-under for the championship.
11.23amCORRECTION: Woods (-3) and McDowell (+3) par the seventh.
11.22amWoods (-3) and McDowell (+3) makes threes at the par-three seventh.
11.21amBIRDIE! Laird (-3) makes it four birdies in a row at the 12th! He's on a hot streak and surging up the leaderboard!
11.19amSpieth (-3) hits his approach to the 14th green to within 15-20 feet. That's another chance for the Texan to move further up the leaderboard.
11.14amBOGEY! Yesterday's surprise package Shiv Kapur (-2), who led the way on six-under at one stage, has started his second round by dropping a shot at the first.
11.11amMcDowell (+3) saves par at the sixth. That truly is a remarkable save after plopping his tee shot into the fairway bunker. Woods (-3) follows him into the cup for a four as well.
11.10amBIRDIE! Laird (-2) strings together three successive birdies at nine, 10 and 11 and is now one-under for his second round, two-under for the championship. He'll tackle the par-four 12th next.
11.06amWHAT A SHOT! McDowell (+3) has to take his medicine at the sixth, digging out of the bunker and onto the fairway. He needs a good shot into the green... and that's exactly what he gets. He stiffs an iron to within a foot or so.
11.04amEAGLE! Another American putting himself in contention now, as Ryan Moore (-1) moves into the red figures with an eagle-three at the ninth. He was two-under through five holes of his second round, but bogeys at six and eight saw him back to level-par. Good response.
11.02amBIRDIE! Westwood (-3) puts a great stroke on his birdie attempt at the eighth and it drops. Brilliant stuff.
11amSpieth (-3) hunting for another birdie at the 12th, but his putt just grazes the edge of the hole. He tidies up for par.
10.59amWoods (-3) locates the fairway at the difficult sixth. However, McDowell (+3) is in a world of trouble, finding the fairway bunker. That's a particularly treacherous trap.
10.58amBIRDIE! Stenson (-2) is back to two-under-par with a birdie-four at the ninth.
10.57amWestwood (-2) hits the green in two at the eighth. However, the ball rolls onto the fringe. He'll still be putting for a birdie from there, which will see him onto three-under-par if he makes it. Brilliant round so far, he's putting himself right in the mix.
10.54amBOGEY! Adam Scott (+2) cards another bogey at the sixth and is moving backwards.
10.51amBIRDIE! Woods (-3) nearly holes a long eagle putt at the fifth, which would have been a big move. Instead it's a birdie, which I'm sure he'll be happy with having dropped a shot on the previous hole.
10.51amMcDowell (+3) gives himself a good birdie chance at the fifth but misses completely. He'll be disappointed with that effort.
10.48amBIRDIE! Spieth (-3) sinks a 10-footer for birdie at 11, meaning he is one-under for his second round and three-under for the championship. He's going well.
10.46amWestwood (-2) came up short at the seventh but sinks a nervy one for par.
10.42amWoods (-2) creeps to the edge of the green at the fifth. He's there in two and looking to get the dropped shot right back. McDowell (+3) is a few yards further back and also on the birdie trail.
10.36amBOGEY! Well, well, well... Woods (-2) ends up three-putting the fourth and drops back to two-under-par.
10.33amBIRDIE! Laird (E) gives his eagle putt a chance but settles for a birdie. That's him back to level-par.
10.32amWestwood (-2) goes close from off the green at six but that should be par.
10.31amMcDowell (+3) comes up short of the cup on the fourth. That's given Woods (-3) a good read, can he drop his?
10.30amLaird (+1) is on the green in two and putting for eagle at the par-five ninth.
10.29amWestwood (-2) is just shy of the green with his approach to the difficult sixth hole.
10.27amWoods (-3) takes a five iron into the green at the par-three fourth. It tip toes onto the front and that's an uphill putt for birdie. McDowell (+3) goes with a four iron and lands it next to Tiger's ball. Two clean strikes.
10.25amBOGEY! Masters champion Adam Scott (+1) started his round with three pars but has dropped a shot at the fourth.
10.22amMcDowell (+3) birdied the second hole and taps in for par at the third. He has failed to make the cut in the nine Open Championships he has carded an over-par first round. A solid start today, though.
10.21amBIRDIE! Woods (-3), who saw a birdie putt at the second short of the cup, sinks one from a similar distance at the third and he's one-under for his round, three-under for the championship. Prediction: He will top the leaderboard by the end of this round. You heard it here.
10.19amBIRDIE! Stenson (-1) recovers from his bogey at the sixth by grabbing a shot back at the par-three seventh. Good response from the Swede.
10.14amBIRDIE! Westwood (-2) makes a birdie-four after splashing out of the bunker. Deserved after a brilliant second shot was swallowed by the trap. He's three-under through five holes of his second round, two-under for the championship. Putting well, too.
10.07amDOUBLE BOGEY! The par-four sixth seems to be playing difficult today, with Clarke (+2) making an eight. Now Stenson (E) drops back to level-par with a double. If you're betting on the Swede this week, you can blame me there. I gave him the kiss of death with my words of praise.
10.06amWestwood (-1) looking to get on the green in two at the par-five fifth, taking a driver from the fairway... how unlucky! It hits the front of the green and looks good, but slowly starts to trickle down a slope and gathers into the front bunker. That swing deserved so much more.
10.02amHenrik Stenson (-2) is going along very nicely so far today. He's one-under through five holes and striking it sweetly. Two-under for the championship.
9.58amWoods (-2) confidently rolls in for par at the first, as does McDowell (+4).
9.56amWestwood (-1) has kept the momentum going with par at the fourth.
9.55amQUADRUPLE BOGEY! Clarke (+2) has made a dog's dinner of that sixth. All that good work has been well and truly undone. That's him one-over for the day, two-over for the championship.
9.53amWestwood (-1) couldn't set up a fourth birdie opportunity, missing the green to the right. He's played a good recovery shot, though, and should save par.
9.51amClarke (-2) is ruining his good start at the sixth hole. It took three hacks to get it out of the greenside trap, meaning it's taken seven blows to get on the green. A triple, or even a quadruple, bogey beckons. What a shame.
9.48amWoods (-2) and McDowell (+4) are in good shape after their opening tee shots. Woods took an iron, while McDowell attacked it with a fairway wood. The 14-time Major champion hasn't had the best of times with the big sticks of late, although with his length off the tee there will be very few occasions in which he'll need to take it out of the bag. Just the three par-fives at five, nine and 17, really.
9.45amWestwood (-1) can't make it three successive birdies to begin his second round. Still a very good start, though. It's the par-three fourth for him next. Can he continue giving himself chances?
9.42amTiger Woods (-2) and Graeme McDowell (+4) are approaching the first tee now. Louis Oosthuizen was in their group yesterday, but he withdrew with a hip injury after hooking his drive at the ninth. McDowell didn't play all too badly yesterday and was a bit unfortunate to score 75. Can he eat into that deficit today?
9.39amGarcia (+4) is on the green, but by no means close to the pin. Schwartzel (+4) is also putting at the third. Clarke (-2), chopping out from the jungle, gets a bit lucky with the bounce and he's back in play on the fairway. Laird (-1) fires at the sixth green but misses to the left.
9.36amClarke (-2) is wide with his tee shot at the sixth. Westwood (-1) is on the green in two at the third and once again on the birdie trail.
9.33amWestwood (-1), taking his sweet time over his tee shot at the third, finds the first cut. That's OK. His playing partner Garcia (+4), who parred the first hole, also finds himself on the short grass.
9.31amBIRDIE! And as I post that, Clarke (-2) drops in for birdie at the fifth. That's him three-under for his second round.
9.29amHe joins a group of players who are two-under for the second round so far. That group includes YE Yang (+5), Kyle Stanley (+9) and Darren Clarke (-1).
9.27amBIRDIE! Westwood (-1) gets himself into red figures with a confident stroke on the second green. Birdie-birdie start for the Englishman. Great start.
9.26amFormer champion Mark O'Meara (E) rolled back the years yesterday with a brilliant 67, but he's four-over-par through eight holes of his second round. That has him at level-par for the championship.
9.22amSo, without any further ado, let's dive into the action. We're with Westwood (E) on the second fairway, and that's a very good shot to set up a birdie chance. He's pin-high, around 10 foot from the cup.
9.20amAdam Scott (E) and Lee Westwood (E) hung on in there yesterday, carding 71 and 72 respectively. Scott has just hit his tee shot at the first, which Westwood has just birdied.
9.16amLEADERBOARD: (-5) Zach Johnson; (-4) Cabrera-Bello; (-3) Jimenez, Dustin Johnson, Snedeker, Kapur; (-2) Stenson, Lehman, Hamilton, Mickelson, Cabrera, Spieth, Woods, Molinari; (-1) Fisher, Bubba Watson, Fernandez-Castano, Duke, Laird, Stenson; (E) O'Meara, Aiken, Wiesberger, Matsuyama, Mullen (A), Wright, Scott
9.15amThe top of the leaderboard is dominated by America, while Spanish duo Rafael Cabrera-Bello (-4) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (-3), Shiv Kapur (-3) of India, and Sweden's Henrik Stenson (-2) keep them company.
9.12amOf course, our leader Zach Johnson (-5) was also superb on the putting surface yesterday, although conditions were a little easier for him. Not much, mind. But I can't overstate how impressed I was with Woods yesterday.
9.10amThe best of the putters was undoubtedly Tiger Woods (-2). He looked like the Tiger of old, formidable with the short stick. He likes it fast, so these greens will not really scare him. If he can keep the rest of his game ticking over, he could well be on course for his fourth Open title.
9.08amThere were murmurings of discontent from some players yesterday regarding the pin locations. As the course dried out, they became harder and harder to attack. Ian Poulter, using his usual blend of scathing humour, described the eighth hole as "a joke" and suggested that "a windmill and clown face" was all that was missing from the 18th. Putting on the greens was like putting on glass.
9.04amBy the end of today we'll know who has made the cut. Rory McIlroy (+8) and Luke Donald (+9) are both struggling. As the day goes on we'll get a clearer idea of where the cut mark will lie.
9.02amWelcome back golf geeks, it's day two of the 142nd Open Championship at Muirfield and it's another sizzler in Scotland. The course has been heavily watered overnight, but early reports from East Lothian suggest that it has done little to blunt the teeth of these nasty greens. No word yet on pin positions, which were at their hardest yesterday, but I'm sure we'll find out in due course. In the meantime, sit back and relax... we have around 11 hours of live golf ahead of us!