15 July 2011 13:46 GMT

Lunch will be tasting particularly good for Darren Clarke and Lucas Glover. With completed 36-hole scores of four under par they share the lead with Thomas Bjorn and Simon Dyson who are now nearing the turn. The marquees of the tented village are beginning to flap and groan as the south-west wind picks up speed and players on the course are finding it increasingly difficult to hold scores together.

Dyson started with a flourish, three under after three, but overnight leader Bjorn was the exact opposite, dropping three shots in a row from the second, but now fighting back strongly with birdies at the fifth and seventh.

Also safely in the clubhouse at three under for the Championship are American Chad Campbell and USPGA champion Martin Kaymer. One shot further back, with completed scores, are Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

And don’t write off Miguel Angel Jimenez. He started the day at four under, dropped shots at the second and fourth, but holed a monster at the short sixth to join those at three under.

It was in some ways a disappointing day for amateur Tom Lewis who shared the overnight lead. Viewed from another perspective it was a character-building exercise in damage limitation. He battled hard for a 74 which keeps him at one under and very much in the hunt over the final two days.