Jordan Spieth on U.S. Open title defence hopes

Jordan Spieth was in defiant mood despite concluding his rain-affected first round at the U.S. Open six shots off the pace, insisting he can retain his title.

Only a handful of players have thus far carded under-par scores at the notoriously tricky Oakmont course, with Spieth's 72 leaving him a long way short of surprise leader Andrew Landry.

But the two-time major winner believes an even-par score will be enough to take the honours and backed himself to be the man at the top of the pile come Sunday.

"I didn't shoot myself out of it," Spieth said. "Ideally, I would have been where the leader is at four under, but I honestly don't think that was even possible for our tee time.

"I'm not really sure how my score stands right now, but I know that at the end of the day, the USGA [United States Golf Association] is going to try to have even par win the golf tournament, and I know that I can shoot two under in the remaining 54 holes no matter how the course plays. I know I'm capable of it. I'm in it."

Spieth's first major triumph at last year's Masters was a wire-to-wire triumph, but he did overturn a three-shot first-round deficit to win the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in June 2015.