Spieth level with Kuchar at #TheOpen after front nine

SOUTHPORT – Jordan Spieth saw his overnight three-stroke advantage at the British Open evaporate on the front nine on Sunday, as he entered the turn sharing the lead with his fellow American Matt Kuchar on eight-under-par.

Spieth, 23, made four bogeys on the opening nine holes – as many as he had produced in the previous three rounds – with the fourth coming after a poor miss on a short putt at the ninth.

Texan Spieth is searching for his third major championship title, while the 39-year-old Kuchar has yet to win a major.

Kuchar, who had suffered two bogeys himself, birdied the ninth hole to join Spieth at the top of the leaderboard.

China’s Li Haotong is waiting in third place, two shots off the leading pair, after posting a fine 63 which featured birdies on each of the last four holes.

Spieth, who won the US Masters and US Open in 2015, is bidding to join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three legs of the grand slam before turning 24. Tiger Woods was 24 when he won his third different major.