Bernhard Langer © Getty ImagesMark McNulty might be just two shots off the lead but Des Smyth and Philip Walton were the only others survivors after two rounds of he Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Royal Birkdale.

Bernhard Langer and Mark Wiebe lead by a shot on five under at halfway from David Frost with adopted Irishman McNulty tied for fourth on three under.

Smyth is tied for 36th, 10 shots off the lead on five over after a one under 69 with Walton a shot further back on six over after a 76.

Cork’s Denis O’Sullivan missed the eight over par halfway cut by two shots after a second successive 75 with amateur Frank O’Donoghue (83-75) back on 18 over.

Christy OConnor Jnr retired when he went out in 10 over par 44.

At the other end of the leaderboard, two-time Masters champion Langer added a 67 to his opening 68 to tie for the lead with American Wiebe, who carded a stunning 65.

“I played like the weather today, pretty good,” said Langer. “I just had one little blemish with a double‑bogey where I missed the green and double‑hit my chip shot.  Otherwise it was a really good round.  I hit a lot of good shots and putted much better today.  So I’m very pleased with the position I’m in at the halfway point.”

Langer is the last European to win the Senior Open after claiming the tile at Carnoustie in 2010, and the popular 2004 Ryder Cup Captain was cheered on by large galleries at Royal Birkdale, with the crowd of 12,218 a record for the Championship, surpassing the previous highest total of 10,150 on the final day at Royal Troon five years ago.

He was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Wiebe who produced picked up four shots in the last six holes, sinking a 15ft birdie putt on the 18th, for the low round of the week.

“There’s a long way to go, but I’m tickled to be where I am,” he said. “Last year I tied for sixth at Turnberry and I fell in love with the golf course.  It was unbelievable.  I had never played there, and I have never played here, and I have the same love affair going this week.  It is just a real test of everything in your bag, including patience.”

Debutant Colin Montgomerie posted a one over par 71 to finish in a share of 23rd place on three over par, with 2014 US Ryder Cup Captain Tom Watson one shot further back after finishing with back-to-back bogeys in his round of 71.

Complete second round scores from Royal Birkdale (par 70)

135 B Langer (Ger) 68 67, M Wiebe (USA) 70 65,

136 D Frost (RSA) 68 68,

137 G Sauers (USA) 67 70, P Fowler (Aus) 69 68, M McNulty (Irl) 70 67,

138 R Mediate (USA) 70 68, S Lyle (Sco) 70 68, J Hart (USA) 69 69,

139 P Senior (Aus) 68 71, K Idoki (Jpn) 71 68, G Turner (Nzl) 70 69,

140 S Elkington (Aus) 72 68, C Pavin (USA) 69 71, B Lane (Eng) 72 68,

142 S Pate (USA) 70 72, T Kite (USA) 70 72, B Longmuir (Sco) 73 69, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 70 72, T Pernice Jnr (USA) 70 72, M O’Meara (USA) 74 68, C Lutz (am) (USA) 71 71,

143 S Jones (USA) 73 70, A Forsbrand (Swe) 73 70, R Spittle (Can) 71 72, K Tomori (Jpn) 71 72, B Faxon (USA) 74 69, C Montgomerie  (Sco) 72 71,

144 T Lehman (USA) 72 72, T Watson (USA) 73 71, G Hallberg (USA) 69 75, J Spence (Eng) 75 69, L Mize (USA) 71 73, C Mason (Eng) 74 70, R Cochran (USA) 71 73,

145 S Tinning (Den) 71 74, P Gresswell (Eng) 74 71, D Mast (USA) 72 73, P Linhart (Esp) 73 72, M Goodes (USA) 71 74, S Okuda (Jpn) 73 72, E Romero (Arg) 75 70, D Smyth (Irl) 76 69, M Allen (USA) 75 70, D Russell (Eng) 72 73,

146 F Funk (USA) 75 71, P Walton (Irl) 70 76, B Tway (USA) 74 72, M Kierstenson (Eng) 74 72, F Minoza (Phi) 68 78, J Sluman (USA) 71 75, F Couples (USA) 74 72, P Wesselingh (Eng) 70 76, B Ruangkit (Tha) 73 73, A Oldcorn (Sco) 74 72, E Toledo (Mex) 74 72, W Wood (USA) 75 71, S Luna (Esp) 72 74,

147 M Calcavecchia (USA) 75 72, B Vaughan (USA) 73 74, M Kuramoto (Jpn) 70 77, M Martin (Esp) 72 75, P Mitchell (Eng) 75 72, J Inman (USA) 71 76, M James (Eng) 74 73, M Brooks (USA) 74 73,

148 C Lu (Tpe) 71 77, K Hanefeld (USA) 73 75, P Golding (Eng) 74 74, D Waldorf (USA) 76 72, H Buhrmann (RSA) 76 72, J Daley (USA) 75 73, P Dahlberg (Swe) 76 72, J Cook (USA) 69 79

CUT

149 C Stadler (USA) 76 73, A Webster (Sco) 75 74, A Sherborne (Eng) 72 77, J Carriles (Esp) 79 70, B Bryant (USA) 72 77, R Chapman (Eng) 74 75, D Eger (USA) 75 74, K Spurgeon (Eng) 74 75,

150 G Brand (Eng) 76 74, C Williams (RSA) 73 77, J Gould (Eng) 74 76, L Carbonetti (Arg) 77 73, D O’Sullivan (Irl) 75 75, J King (Eng) 75 75, W Grant (Eng) 77 73, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 75 75, R Lewallen (USA) 75 75, B Cameron (Eng) 72 78,

151 A Magee (USA) 76 75, L Turner (Eng) 77 74, J Blake (USA) 71 80, A Franco (Par) 78 73,

152 S Cipa (Eng) 74 78, C Elliott (Sco) 75 77, R Drummond (Sco) 80 72, A Murray (Eng) 79 73, G Trivisonno (USA) 71 81, M McLean (Eng) 78 74, J Rivero (Esp) 71 81, C Rocca (Ita) 75 77, M Mackenzie (Eng) 82 70,

153 S Bennett (Eng) 76 77, I Woosnam (Wal) 76 77, B Gilder (USA) 77 76, T Price (Aus) 78 75, R Roper (Eng) 78 75,

154 T Thelen (USA) 74 80, J Rutledge (Can) 80 74, S Torrance (Sco) 79 75, L Tenbroeck (USA) 78 76, T Johnstone (Zim) 79 75, J Volpenhein (am) (USA) 77 77, R Latham (am) (Eng) 77 77,

155 R Sabarros (Fra) 80 75, J Quiros (Esp) 85 70, B Conser (USA) 73 82, M Mouland (Wal) 78 77, M Farry (Fra) 82 73, K Smith (Can) 77 78, G Ralph (Eng) 79 76, M Cunning (USA) 74 81,

156 K Tarling (Can) 78 78, K Kelsall (Sco) 75 81, C Bolling  (USA) 79 77, P Jonas (Can) 80 76, J Mathews (Eng) 76 80, K Gallacher (am) (Sco) 78 78,

157 J Bruner (USA) 82 75, J Harrison (Eng) 84 73,

158 F O’Donoghue (am) (Nir) 83 75,

159 R Fehr (USA) 81 78,

160 N Sugai (Jpn) 83 77,

161 M McCumber (USA) 80 81,

162 P Way (Eng) 80 82,

163 M Ure (Eng) 79 84,

164 M Lord (Eng) 84 80,

170 A Atkinson (am) (Eng) 87 83,

172 J Lubieniecki (Pol) 89 83,

** C O’Connor Jnr (Irl) 75 RT, E Darcy (Irl) RT