Las Vegas party the ideal Open warm-up for Koepka

British Open co-leader Matt Kuchar got his second round underway on Friday morning as contenders at Royal Birkdale prepared to face some potentially treacherous weather conditions. And unfortunately one bogey on 16, just a bad putt.

That left the United States triumvirate one ahead of Paul Casey, Charl Schwartzel with Ian Poultter, the runner-up at Birkdale in 2008, a stroke further back on 67.

“That’s right up there”, said McIlroy, who equalled the lowest score in major history with an opening 63 at St Andrews in 2010 and opened with consecutive 66s on his way to victory at Hoylake in 2014. Spieth rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt across the 11th green, and then after watching Henrik Stenson’s tee shot on the par-3 12th land softly, Spieth realized he could take on the flag.

“Apparently life begins at 40 so maybe that’s a good omen for me”, said Casey. No one made a charge up the leaderboard as most of the players were focused on just surviving the round.

World No.3 Spieth, 23, is chasing a third major and first since back-to-back wins in 2015; Kuchar, 39, is bidding for his first major title.

Rory McIlroy says a lack of self-belief was to blame for his poor start to his opening round at the British Open on Thursday – and a chat with his caddie was what turned things around.

The 62 also broke the course record at Royal Birkdale, set by Jamie Mudd in the fourth round of the British Open in 1991.

Those at Royal Birkdale this week have experienced good weather so far, but heavy rain and 20 miles per hour winds are in the forecast for the coming days. “I played really solid”.

“I am going to try not to let this spoil the week in any way”, said the defending champion in a statement earlier Friday.

But Spieth, his umbrella as hard to control as his shots, hung on and hung on Friday during the wind-blown, rain-doused second round of the 146th British Open.

A slightly despondent Johnson finished on 72, two over for the day and three over for the tournament, which will be good enough to make the cut but probably insufficient to mount a genuine tournament challenge.

Justin Thomas, sporting a classic collar-and-tie, produced golf to complement his stylish outfit and an eagle at the 17th lifted him alongside Poulter, and they were later joined by English journeyman Richard Bland, rising Canadian star Austin Connelly, Charley Hoffman and Rafa Cabrera Bello. The results paid off on Friday, as Johnson posted a four-under 66, the best round of the day by two shots.

Still to be determined is how much he thrives on links courses like Royal Birkdale. Then there are four golfers that are one-under par tied for sixth. “At that point I mumbled and said “Whatever” but it definitely helped”.

Spieth never looked as if he was under any stress, except for his tee shot into the bunker on No. 8.