Jason Day and Matt Jones have bolted to the lead as an incoming storm stopped play late in the second round of the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

World No.5 Day and compatriot Jones are five under on their third rounds to push to nine under for the championship, one clear of England’s Justin Rose at eight under.

Day has played 14 holes and has a 15-foot birdie attempt to come on the 15th green while Jones has negotiated 12 holes and sits in a fairway bunker on the right of the fourth fairway.

The pair started two off the overnight lead but made their charge to give Australia hope of claiming a first major since the 2013 Masters and first PGA Championship since Steve Elkington won in 1995.

Day birdied the second, fifth and sixth, gave one back on the ninth before a run of three straight birdies from the 11th had the Queenslander charging.

Given his hot form, the delay couldn’t come at a worse time.

Playing the back side first, Jones made birdies on the same three holes at 11, 12 and 13 before another on the tough 18th and then added another on the second.

In just his ninth major Jones has never fared better than 30th but was a US PGA tour winner in Texas last year.

Swede David Lingmerth shot a two-under-70 to sit at seven under where he joined by Americans Harris English (15 holes) and Tony Finau (13 holes).

Jordan Spieth earlier made a move towards his third major championship of the year as the world No.2 shot 67, to jump to six under.

Having already won the Masters and US Open this season, Spieth is gunning to become just the third player in history to win three of the four majors in one year, behind Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods.

Adam Scott will miss his first major cut since the 2011 US Open after a 75 left him at seven over for the week.

Scott set about trying to make up for his first-round 76 with a birdie on the 10th, his first hole, but was once again tripped up by the par-three 12th.

After making triple bogey there on Thursday, Scott added a double bogey on Friday to send his odds of making the cut further skyward.

An eagle on the 16th, his seventh, gave him the base for a last-nine push, but he has failed to make a run.

Cameron Smith made his charge with a 68 to get to two under for the championship, and is joined by world No.1 Rory McIlroy (71).

John Senden shot 76 to fade to three over where he will also miss the cut.

Marc Leishman defied a back injury to shoot 68 but after a 79 on Thursday is also three over.

Geoff Ogilvy is four over after eight holes of round two while Steven Bowditch is finished at five over.

Club professional Brett Jones won’t be playing the weekend as he shot 78 to end at nine over.