Spieth stays on track after battle with the elements

Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka were forced to battle the elements on the back nine at Royal Birkdale on Friday night, trying to retain a position at the top of the Open Championship leaderboard as the weather turned nasty in Southport.

Friday produced the worst conditions the players are likely to face all week, as strong winds blew relentlessly from start to finish and heavy rain arrived in the late afternoon. Spieth and Koepka, the overnight favourites after both opened with a five-under-par 65 on Thursday, were late starters who got caught in the downpour. Play was suspended for 15 minutes just after 5.30pm due to waterlogging.

Spieth was as short as even-money for the Jug as he went seven under at the 15th to open a three-shot lead, but a bogey at the next hole saw him eased to around the 6-4 mark.

He headed the market while Koepka, who was two over after 16 holes in his second round and three under overall, Matt Kuchar, and Rory McIlroy were the other players at single-figure odds.

Pre-tournament 55-1 shot Kuchar followed up his round-one 65 with a 71 to set the early clubhouse target at four under par. Kuchar has never won a Major, but has posted eight top-tens since the start of the 2010 season, so the 39-year-old has been knocking on the door.

Richie Ramsay, a 300-1 rag at the outset, led the British challenge in the morning by reaching the safety of the clubhouse at two under par, but Rory McIlroy was making more headlines as his resurgence from a shocking start to round one continued.

McIlroy, who was five over par through six holes of the event, recovered to a round-one 71 after a pep-talk from his caddie JP Fitzgerald, then followed up with a Friday 68 to put himself bang in contention at one under par.

McIlroy was 20-1 for Open glory before the off and drifted to 150-1 after his terrible opening nine, but the former world number one was being backed at around the 7-1 mark last night having made eight birdies in his last 26 holes.

Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who won the Scottish Open on Sunday, is level par after 36 holes of the third Major of the season and 60-1 for the Claret Jug, sitting alongside dual Masters champion Bubba Watson (80-1).

Sergio Garcia missed a tiddler on the 18th green in a second-round 69 which left him two over par for the tournament, while Rickie Fowler is on the same score after a pair of 71s. Adam Scott also putted poorly and is three over, requiring weekend fireworks to get into title contention.

World number one Dustin Johnson, Spanish youngster Jon Rahm, and fading Englishman Paul Casey are alongside Scott at three over par.

Jason Day is five over, looking like he might just squeeze into the weekend, but Phil Mickelson is definitely packing his bags after two rounds. Mickelson, an 11-4 chance to feel the halfway axe, finished ten over par.

The weather forecast for the rest of the event is much more encouraging for competitors and spectators alike. Overnight rain should clear in time for a pleasant Saturday, with hardly any wind, then Sunday is expected to be mostly dry, with the breeze picking up as the tournament approaches a conclusion.

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