Jordan Spieth shows US Open game plan after leaving Memorial early with near miss

Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler have made an early start to their US Open preparations at Pinehurst No, 2, following a disappointing performance at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village this week.

Both golfers were eager to regain form ahead of the year's third major championship, but their hopes were dashed when they missed the cut at the Memorial. Undeterred, Spieth and Fowler quickly returned to the green.

The United States Ryder Cup teammates were seen playing at Pinehurst over the weekend, having travelled to North Carolina after failing to make the 36-hole cut line in Dublin, Ohio.

Fowler, in particular, is seeking a turnaround in his game after finishing last at the halfway point at the Memorial. The six-time PGA Tour winner had a less than ideal start to the Signature Event, carding a frustrating four-over-par 76 in Thursday's opening round.

Fowler's performance deteriorated further 24 hours later. He followed his opening 76 with a dismal 10-over 82 in Friday's second round, accumulating three double bogeys and six bogeys across his second 18 holes, missing the weekend cut-line by a significant margin.

Spieth was just a single shot away from playing over the weekend, finishing his first 36 holes at five-over. The former world No.1 is eager to rediscover the form that made him a three-time major champion this week, with an opportunity to secure his fourth major at Pinehurst.

Spieth claimed victory in his national Open back in 2015, securing the title at Chambers Bay just two months after winning the green jacket at the Masters. The last time the US Open was held at Pinehurst, a young Spieth was making only his second professional start in the tournament back in 2014.

It turned out to be a strong week for the 2015 champion who ended up tied for 17th place, 13 shots behind the runaway champion Martin Kaymer. Fowler also competed in North Carolina that week, delivering one of his best major performances by finishing tied for second.

The 35 year old concluded the tournament at one-under-par, alongside fellow runner-up Erik Compton, marking Fowler's best performance at the US Open to date. If he hopes to replicate a similar performance next week, Fowler will need a change in luck, having not managed to break into the top-10 in any event so far in 2024.