(CNN)–In the weather version of rock, paper, scissors — wind beats rain, both beat sun.
The British Open got lashings of wind and rain Friday, scattering the hopes of many across the dunes of Royal Birkdale and drowning the dreams of others.
Out of the afternoon deluge, first-round leader Jordan Spieth emerged with a one-under 69 for six under and a two-shot cushion over fellow American Matt Kuchar.
World No.3 Spieth is chasing a third major and first since back-to-back wins in 2015; Kuchar, who crafted a level-par 71 at the height of the morning’s lively southeasterly, is bidding for his first major title.
England’s Ian Poulter, who was second at Royal Birkdale in 2008, finished three under for a share of third with US Open champion Brooks Koepka.
The wind, blowing in the opposite direction to Thursday and gusting more than 30 m.p.h., proved a huge challenge and left some shellshocked, like former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.
“As much as you want to challenge yourself, really it’s just luck,” said the South African. “You’re hitting these shots and the ball is just going whatever. It’s not much fun.”
On the other hand, Rickie Fowler said: “It was fun. I love playing in the wind.”
McIlroy ‘ecstatic’
Rory McIlroy was one of the few able to turn the conditions to his advantage and battled his way back into the tournament with a two-under 68 for one under par and a tie for eighth.
McIlroy was three under for his round through six holes, eight shots better than at the same point Thursday when caddie JP Fitzgerald delivered his expletive-laced advice to remember who he was.
The bounce was back in the Northern Irishman’s stride, and the roars from the crowds clinging to the dunes around the greens like seabirds on cliffs helped boost the McIlroy mojo.
“To be under par for this championship after the way I started, I’m ecstatic with that,” he said afterwards.
‘Stenson burgled’
Shortly after McIlroy finished, Spieth set off. He’d been watching the morning’s coverage on TV and was full of trepidation.
“It wasn’t a great feeling knowing we were coming into something harder than what we were watching,” he said.
The first drops of rain fell while he was on the third green — about 3:30 p.m. — but they were only a hint of what was to come.
A band of rain marched across the Irish Sea but Birkdale was dry, if darkening by the minute.
Spieth’s white ball shone in the gloaming as it flew towards the sixth green. It caught the upslope and rolled back into a cavernous trap. Disbelieving, he bent down to grab some grass to throw again. He looked at his caddie with outstretched hands and they engaged in a lengthy discussion. The wind was still wreaking havoc.
He splashed out and made par but just before 4:30 p.m. the sluice gates opened from above.
Walking off the seventh green, umbrellas formed a virtual tunnel either side of the path. Despite the damp, Spieth first-bumped a row of beery American fans. Playing partner Henrik Stenson, however, was in a darker mood, a combination of the weather, a bogey four and the fact his rental house was burgled Thursday. None of his family were in the house but he lost some valuables and all his clothes.
“I am going to try not to let this spoil the week in any way,” said the defending champion in a statement earlier Friday.
Poulter’s pride
By 5:30 p.m. the rain was so heavy play had to be suspended to allow greenstaff to clear puddles on some greens.
The conditions were hard work not just for players and caddies, but spectators and media, too.
“One thing these babies don’t like is water,” veteran Getty Images photographer David Cannon said of his cameras, but added that extreme conditions do make for “great pictures.”
When play resumed, Poulter snuck off 18 with a 70 and couldn’t hide his delight.
“It feels absolutely marvelous, it really does,” said the European Ryder Cup star, who has missed the last five majors with a foot injury.
Poulter was inspired by the rousing home support, but particularly a small boy of “about five or six” who followed him all the way.
“He was in a little yellow jacket, it was pouring down with rain, he didn’t have an umbrella, but with his dad,” said Poulter, who is bidding to become the first English winner since Nick Faldo in 1992.
“And he kept saying, ‘Come on, Poults. Come on, Poults.’
“I mean, that’s nice. These fans are hardened. For them to stay out in those cold, windy, rainy conditions, it’s special.”
‘Nervous’
Spieth was still out there, drawing on his experience from 12 months ago when he played through “sheets of sideways rain” on Friday afternoon at Royal Troon.
These conditions weren’t as bad, he said, and with the wind dropping he was able to make an eagle on the par-five 15th to get to seven under for a spell, “a place he didn’t think he would get to.”
Koepka couldn’t make any later inroads as the rain continued to fall leaving Spieth once more in pole position. He won the Masters from start to finish in 2015 and was set to do it again a year later until blowing a five-shot lead with nine to play.
“Anytime you’re in the last group on a weekend in the major…you get nervous,” he said.
“But I enjoy it because as long as I approach it positively and recognize that this is what you want to feel because you’re in a position you want to be in, then the easier it is to hit solid shots and to create solid rounds.”
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson escaped the halfway cut, which fell at five over, but plenty of major winners fell foul, including last year’s runner-up Phil Mickelson.
“Unfortunately it’s the first cut I’ve missed this year and I missed it with flair,” said Mickelson.
