Spieth goes four clear at Tournament of Champions

If there were any doubts as to whether Jordan Spieth could build on his magical 2015 campaign they are being quickly dispelled as the world number one moved four shots clear after the second round of the Tournament of Champions at The Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. It gave him a blemish-free round of nine-under 64 for a four-shot lead over Argentina’s Fabian Gomez and American duo Kevin Kisner and Patrick Reed.

Reed and Spieth had eagle putts on three of the par-5s.

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) – Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed competed each other in junior golf, each beat the other in a playoff on the PGA Tour, were partners in the Ryder Cup and played in the last group of the U.S. Open on the weekend previous year.

For all the talk about how he can match what he did past year – two majors, five victories – it might be just as tough to repeat what he has done in the opening two rounds at Kapalua.

“One of the only first tee shots I still get nervous on is the first one of the season”, Spieth said.

Shaun Norris was alone in second place after a 66, and Jbe Kruger and Keith Horne were tied for third at 5 under at Glendower Golf Club in Gauteng, South Africa.

“Well, I mean I should get a little better each time I go and practice, right?”

“I didn’t quite hit the ball solid like I needed to and because of that, even though I was hitting a lot of greens, I wasn’t hitting it as close as yesterday”, Reed said.

He is three under par for the tournament with seven holes to play in his second round.

Overnight leader Jaco van Zyl suffered a horror 11 holes before the players were called off the course, including three bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-four 10th. Lee’s shot of the day came on the par-four 10th, knocking his second shot from 101 yards to within three feet of the pin.

Fowler only dropped one shot for an opening 69 but his shoes stole the show.

Rickie Fowler, whose breakthrough 2015 featured a win in the Players, had six birdies in a round of 67 to get to 10-under and tied for sixth.

Australian world number two Jason Day headlines a group of seven players at three under, including Smylie Kaufman and Padraig Harrington.