Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and American Lucas Glover head into the weekend with a one-shot lead at the 140th Open Championship.

Clarke shot a two-under 68 and 2009 US Open champion Glover carded 70 to set the pace at four under on a glorious summer's day at Royal St George's.

They lead from joint overnight leader Thomas Bjorn (72), Chad Campbell, Martin Kaymer and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

World number one Luke Donald missed the cut after a 75 left him six over.

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, 1996 Open winner Tom Lehman, US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love, American Dustin Johnson, Spain's Pablo Larrazabal, Dane Anders Hansen and South African George Coetzee all ended two under.

US Open champion Rory McIlroy had four birdies and three bogeys in a 69 to finish level par.

The 42-year-old escaped some brutal morning weather and fired a one-under 69 to edge to five under on a day of attrition on the Kent coast.

American Dustin Johnson climbed into second after sharing the joint best round of the day, a 68, with countryman Rickie Fowler.

The 22-year-old Fowler's impressive score, despite enduring some of the worst of the driving rain and 35mph winds, took him up to a tie for third with first-round co-leader Thomas Bjorn (71) of Denmark.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez slipped to a two-over 72 to end one under alongside joint overnight leader Lucas Glover (73) of America.

World number six Phil Mickelson headlined a group at level par comprising fellow American Anthony Kim (70), US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love (72), Germany's world number three Martin Kaymer, Dane Anders Hansen (72) and South African George Coetzee (72).

US Open champion Rory McIlroy struggled to a round of 74, which included a double-bogey seven after going out of bounds at the 14th, to end on four over.

Darren Clarke kept his nerve to clinch his maiden major title with a three-shot victory in the Open at Royal St George's.

The 42-year-old Northern Irishman fired a final-round 70 to finish five under to hold off Americans Phil Mickelson (68) and Dustin Johnson (72).

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn ended on one under after a 71 with American trio Rickie Fowler (72), Chad Campbell (69) and Anthony Kim (70) on level par.

Clarke, playing in his 20th Open Championship, is the first winner from the UK since Paul Lawrie in 1999 and becomes only the second Northern Irishman to win the Open after Fred Daly in 1947.

And he follows in the footsteps of countrymen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell who both won their first majors at the US Open this year and last, respectively.