Eighty-four players will head into the last two rounds of the 2013 Open Championship lying within 13 shots of the lead.

The halfway cut of 8-over par is the highest since 2008 at Royal Birkdale.

Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez leads the field by one stroke at three under par while there is 15 players on eight over par including former Open Champion Todd Hamilton along with Australia’s Peter Senior who had been the first player to tee off on Thursday morning.

However missing from the weekend will be recently crowned US Open champion, Justin Rose and the 2011 US Open winner, Rory McIlroy.

It is the first time ever in six Open appearances the severly-struggling World No. 2 has missed the cut in golf’s oldest major.

McIlroy had rounds 79 and 75 to miss by four shots with a 12-over par tally.