Adam Scott struggled to make any early inroads as Rory McIlroy’s British Open lead was cut to two shots in a rain-swept start to the third round.

Torrential rain drenched Royal Liverpool Golf Club on Friday night with the atrocious weather prompting organisers to use a two-tee start for the first time in the tournament’s history on Saturday to account for expected delays throughout the day.

Players also teed off in groups of three rather than the customary two for weekends, with the majority of the field already commencing their rounds by 11am local time (2000 AEST).

Northern Irishman McIlroy led by four shots at 12-under-par at the halfway mark but there was an immediate two-shot swing as he found a greenside bunker and dropped a shot at the first as second-placed playing partner Dustin Johnson opened with a birdie.

With conditions still favourable for scoring, American Rickie Fowler was also making a move as he opened with back-to-back birdies to climb to eight-under.

Scott and fellow Australian Marc Leishman started the day nine shots behind McIlroy and remained at three-under-par midway through their front nines.

Scott was again striking the ball solidly but unable to get his belly putter firing to convert some decent birdie opportunities.

The world No.1 had welcomed the arrival of the dour weather, hoping it would allow him to get back in the mix for victory.

“The last 36 of the major is going to be a grind and, if it’s tough conditions, you know, I’m certainly up for that challenge,” Scott said after a second-round 73.

After scraping into the cut, Tiger Woods opened with back-to-back birdies on Saturday to get back to even-par.

Playing in the same group was Australian outsider Rhein Gibson, the world No.998 who made the cut at his first attempt at a major tournament.

Matt Jones (+1), John Senden (+1) and Jason Day (+2) all remained on their overnight scores while Americans Jim Furyk and Jimmy Walker and South African Charl Schwartzel were among others making early headway on the leaderboard.