Shaun Norris takes advantage of good weather, shoots 65 at The Open Championship

SOUTHPORT, England — The first weekend score is in the books at The Open Championship — and it's a good one.

Shaun Norris, playing with a marker after making the cut on the number, shot a 5-under-65 on Royal Birkdale, setting the pace for what could be a day of low scoring.

In near perfect conditions, the South African journeyman made five birdies against no bogeys to move to even par in the tournament.

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Norris finished several hours before Jordan Spieth and others on the leaderboard tee off. After a blustery day on Friday, the early players found the course to their liking, with lots of birdies on the board.

Jordan Spieth faces a good forecast and a long wait to take his two-shot lead into the third round of the Open.

Spieth and Matt Kuchar do not tee off until shortly before 4 p.m. at Royal Birkdale.

Start of the day: First man out at +5.
End of the day: Inside the top 10 at E.

Well played, Shaun Norris. #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/XXL2HXK7Lj

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 22, 2017

After a second round that featured 30 mph wind and bursts of heavy showers in the afternoon, Saturday's forecast was more dry conditions and only a mild wind off the Irish Sea. Only 10 players were under par at the start of the third round.

Spieth was at 6-under 134. This is the 12th time he has been atop the leaderboard at the end of a round in a major, including the final rounds of the Masters and U.S. Open that he won in 2015.

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