Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed handle most U.S. Open challenges, lead at 5 under

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. – After Thursday’s 2-under 68, Jordan Spieth suggested he would be pleased with the same score for the next three rounds.

Not going to happen. Spieth will just have to live with a 3-under 67 Friday and a share of the lead with Patrick Reed at Chambers Bay, where another benign set-up yielded reasonably low scores for the second straight day.

Reed shot 69, equaling his 2014 Ryder Cup partner Spieth at 5-under 135 midway through the 115th national championship. Dustin Johnson, the first-round leader with Henrik Stenson after a 65, faltered late and shot 71 (136). He shares third with South African Branden Grace (67).

It’s an interesting leaderboard, featuring five of the top 15 in the world rankings and several relative unknowns. Spieth is the only player among the top 16 that has won a major. Utahns Daniel Summerhays (67) and Tony Finau (68) are at 137, joining Ben Martin (70) and Joost Luiten (69).

The 21-year-old Spieth, starting on the back nine, birdied four of the first eight holes. He missed a 4-foot birdie putt on 12 but saved par at 16 with a nifty bunker shot. He was derailed temporarily by a double bogey at 18, but responded with a birdie on the par-5 first.

He was steady on the front, considered the tougher nine, closing with a deuce on the par-3 ninth after an unsettling 10-minute delay when playing partner Jason Day collapsed near the green. Day received medical attention and completed the hole. He shot 70 (138).

“I struck the ball significantly better with my approach shots,” Spieth said. “I hit my irons and wedges better. I also putted better. Still looking for that driver. I’m not striking the driver in the middle of the face.”

Spieth, bidding to become the sixth player to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year, spent post-round time on the range working on his driver.

Reed, playing in tougher conditions with the greens firming up later in the day, had a roller-coaster round with six bogeys, five birdies and an eagle on the 284-yard, par-4 12th. He penciled in just six pars on his scorecard.

“There was just some loose shots, making bogey with wedge in my hand, three-putting the last,” Reed said. “Just too many bogeys. I felt like I’d go make a birdie and give it right away. If I didn’t do that I’d have a 4-5 shot lead but we’re in good position.”

Reed’s three-putt at 18 didn’t sit well.

“I felt like I hit two quality shots and had to play Mickey Mouse on the green because the pin (location) was ridiculous,” Reed said.

Johnson birdied Nos. 4 and 7 for the second consecutive day. The seventh, a difficult, uphill 506-yard par 4, ranks as the toughest hole on the course (scoring average 4.5). Johnson owns two of the 14 birdies on the hole.

“It’s going to be a good test (today),” he said. “I would imagine they’re going to set it up pretty hard. I’ve got a good game plan, I just need to stick to it.”

Johnson stumbled over the closing five holes, dropping three shots, including a bogey on 18.

“I hit a poor drive in that right bunker,” he said. “It’s one place you can’t hit it on that hole and I knew that sitting on the tee. I thought I played pretty well. (The course) played really difficult.”

Summerhays absorbed a double bogey on No. 7, knocking him from the top of the leaderboard. Finau was in high fescue and then a green-side bunker before doubling No. 6, but he followed with birdies on seven and nine.

Stenson went the wrong direction (74-139) with six bogeys and two birdies.

“It’s pretty much like putting on broccoli,” he said.

Phil Mickelson (74-143) made the cut, but he trails the leaders by eight.