Spieth takes charge as weather balloons scores at Open Championship

Jordan Spieth carved a round of 1-under-par 69 in high winds, rain and difficult playing conditions on Friday to assume a two-shot lead after the second round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Spieth’s 36-hole total of 6-under 134 gave him a two-stroke cushion over first-round co-leader and fellow American Matt Kuchar, who was at 136 after a 71 on Friday.

England’s Ian Poulter (70) and first-round American co-leader Brooks Koepka (72) were another shot back while Scotland’s Richie Ramsay (70) finished the day alone in fifth at 138.

Constant 25-mph winds and gusts of up to 40 mph took its toll on the best golfers in the world on Friday as scores ballooned. No one made a charge up the leaderboard as most of the players were focused on just surviving the round.

Only eight under-par rounds were recorded on Friday and just nine players finished below par after 36 holes.

The heavy rain forecast for Friday was limited but showers started falling in the afternoon and continued into the early evening. Even though those players in the afternoon wave got a little wet, they likely got the better of the round’s conditions.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, the 2014 Open Champion, carded a 68 and is tied for sixth at 139 along with Canadian Austin Connelly (72), America’s Gary Woodland (69) and England’s Richard Bland (72).

Eleven players are at 140, led by Americans Bubba Watson, Kent Bulle, Charley Hoffman, Jamie Lovemark and Russell Henley, Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Alex Noren of Sweden and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.

The best score of the day by far was the remarkable 66 by American Zach Johnson (the 2015 Open Championship winner) that garnered him a two-day total of 141. He is tied with two-time Open Champion Ernie Els of South Africa and Kevin Kisner of the United States and South Korea’s Sung-Hoon Kang.

Current Masters champion Sergio Garcia (69) of Spain, defending Open champion Henrik Stenson (73) of Sweden and Americans Rickie Fowler (71) and Steve Stricker (72) finished in the group at 142. The gaggle at 143 included world No. 1 Dustin Johnson (72) and Kevin Na (75) of the United States, Andrew “Beef” Johnston (74) of England, Adam Scott (74) of Australia and Spain’s Jon Rahm (74).

Seventy-eight players made the cut, which was at 145, but many top players did not, including Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, Si-Woo Kim of South Korea, Scotland’s Martin Laird and Americans Kevin Chappell, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink and Justin Thomas (after following up a first-round 67 with an 80 on Friday).

NOTES: There were six scores in the 80s on Friday, led by the 82s recorded by Adam Hadwin of Canada and Yusaku Miyazato of Japan. Eight rounds of 80 or worst were carded over the first two rounds. … American Todd Hamilton, the 2004 Open Champion, recorded the week’s worst score, signing for back-to-back rounds of 79 for a total of 158, 18 over par. … England’s Alfie Plant was the only one of the four amateurs in the field this week to make the cut, ending up at 144. … Sergio Garcia of Spain injured his right shoulder during a temper-induced swing at the gorse bush on the fourth hole and had thoughts that he may not be able to complete the round. After hitting an errant tee shot on the 199-yard par-3, Garcia’s backswing on his second shot was restricted by a gorse bush and contributed to a poor chip which came up short of the green. He then gave the bush a good whack with his club in anger. It clearly hurt and he grabbed his shoulder, and received treatment out on the course.