Jordan Spieth in move to emulate Rory McIlroy

Masters champion Jordan Spieth made his move towards back-to-back major victories as he claimed a share of the early second-round US Open clubhouse lead at Chambers Bay last night.

The world number two shot a three-under-par 67 to move to five under par in his bid to follow his great rival Rory McIlroy, the Open and PGA champion, by completing consecutive majors wins. In Spieth’s case he is looking for a Masters-US Open double which would put him in an elite group containing Tiger Woods (2002), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Arnold Palmer (1960), Ben Hogan (1951, 1953) and Craig Wood (1941).

On another benign day by the shores of Puget Sound near Tacoma, Washington, the championship was living up to its reputation for offering gruelling examinations of its participants albeit on a distinctly different course from the USGA norm.