The world number two can also became the first player since Gene Sarazen in 1922 to win multiple majors aged 21 or younger at Chambers Bay and cruised into the lead with four birdies in his first eight holes.

Starting on the back nine, Spieth birdied the 10th, 14th, 15th and 17th – he also three-putted the driveable 12th for par after missing from two feet – to reach six under par, one shot ahead of overnight leaders Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson.

However, Spieth then hit the lip of a bunker with his second shot on the 18th, found more sand with his third shot and eventually carded a double-bogey six on the long par four, which had played as a par-five on Thursday.

Spieth was heard on television berating himself for the “dumbest hole I’ve ever played in my life” after his second shot but was still only one off the lead alongside South African Branden Grace and 22-year-old amateur Brian Campbell.

Jordan Spieth is not a fan of the 18th. https://t.co/lIbHzY8f6r

— Trevor Reaske (@TrevorReaske) June 19, 2015

Campbell had carded a 67 late on the opening day and shared the lead after birdies on the second and third before dropping a shot on the fourth, while Grace had holed from 60 feet on the par-five eighth for an eagle and also birdied the ninth to be out in 33.

At the other end of the leaderboard, Tiger Woods was at least faring slightly better than he had during an opening 80, his worst ever score in the US Open and his third round in the 80s in his last six events.

The former world number one pulled his second shot to the 10th – his opening hole – onto such a steep slope that he lost his balance attempting to take his stance, but recovered from the resulting bogey with a birdie on the 12th.

Dropped shots on the 14th and 18th left Woods 12 over par and joint 152nd alongside playing partner Rickie Fowler, who was one over par for his round after an opening 81.

Spieth bounced back with a birdie on the first - playing as a 593-yard par five on Friday - and was joined in the lead by Grace thanks to a birdie on the 12th.

And American Daniel Summerhays then made it a five-way tie at the top, carding his sixth birdie of the day on the fourth – having started on the 10th – to prove good scoring remained possible despite the tough conditions.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry sits just inside the top-10, with his score of two under leaving him three behind. Rory McIlroy will tee off later today, starting from two over.