Rory McIlroy got off to a scrappy start in the second round of the Open at Carnoustie but managed to avoid any early damage.

With light rain making conditions markedly different from yesterday’s sun-baked first day, yardages changed with the ball not rolling as far with the extra moisture on the links.

Not that made much difference to McIlroy who struggled to find the cut stuff over his opening four holes after missing two fairways.

His best chance came at the first where the 2014 Open champion missed a 15-foot birdie putt at the first.

He escaped with a par after twice finding rough at the second and then overshot the green at the short par-four third after opting not to go for the green with driver as he had done on Thursday.

Another missed fairway was clocked up at the fourth and although he his his recovery shot to 25 feet the birdie attempt rolled past the hole.

An iron off the tee at the next put McIlroy in perfect position and he hit his approach to 15ft but left his putt short for a fifth successive par.

The 29-year-old remained two under, three behind overnight leader and afternoon starter Kevin Kisner, but he was joined on that score by England’s Tommy Fleetwood after the Southport golfer had back-to-back birdies at four and five.

American Ryan Moore improved his overnight three under with a birdie at the third to get to within one of compatriot Kisner while Francesco Molinari, who won his first PGA Tour title a fortnight ago, and Thorbjorn Olesen both joined the group on two under with birdies at the second and third respectively.