• Norwegian Viktor Hovland moved to the highest point.
• Blocked British Open third-round competitor list.
• A quiet front nine in cloudy circumstances at St Andrews on Saturday.

Hovland evoked four birdies to get to 14-under-standard, a single shot clear of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and two in front.

Australian Smith dropped a shot at the principal opening and battled to find the energy he rode in opening rounds of 67 and 64.

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McIlroy began with four standards yet, maybe motivated by watching Hovland close by him, birdied the fifth, 6th and ninth openings to support his bid for a fifth significant title.

American Cameron Young, the first-round pioneer, blended a birdie in with one intruder and was joined at 11-under by comrades Patrick Cantlay, who got four shots before the turn, and Dustin Johnson.

Two times significant hero Johnson made two early birdies and one more at the 10th to push one forward of world number one Scottie Scheffler who proceeded with his smooth beginning to the competition.

Briton Tommy Fleetwood checked 66 to get to nine-under, level with South Korean Kim Si-charm and one in front of 2017 Open hero Jordan Spieth.

“Got off to a super quick beginning, so that was perfect. It was only perfect to get a touch of force,” Fleetwood told journalists.

“Getting something rolling in an Open on a Saturday is extremely cool when that’s what you do and you have the help,” the world number 35 added. “I was very satisfied with the way things were going out there.”

Shane Lowry made consecutive bird twos to storm up the competitor list however Ireland’s 2019 Open boss blurred to complete on seven-under-standard.

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The early starters exploited harmless circumstances at a sun-kissed Old Course.

American Kevin Kisner made nine birdies in a shimmering 65 to get to seven-under and Italian Francesco Molinari, the 2018 Open hero, checked 66 to get to six-under, level with American Bryson DeChambeau who eagled the 10th while heading to a 67.