With the good scores coming in bunches in The Sentry, there is a certain pressure going into the weekend.
Much of that comes from what Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama has accomplished so far at The Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii.
Matsuyama shot an 8-under-par 65 for the second day in a row Friday to hold a one-shot lead midway through the PGA Tour season opener.
“Seems like Hideki is trying to birdie every hole out there,” said Tom Hoge, who was the first-round leader, “so it was nice to kind of keep up the pace with him a little bit.”
Matsuyama is at 16 under for the tournament. Collin Morikawa, who also had a 65 to go to 15 under, had a chance to pull even after making five consecutive birdies near the end of his round before he settled for par on the 18th hole.
“I just hit some quality shots and gave myself a run of birdie opportunities,” Morikawa said. “I felt like for the entire back nine I had birdie looks. Obviously, I made a handful, but it was just nice to see a couple drop.”
Maverick McNealy (64) moved to 14 under to join Canada’s Corey Conners (66), Belgium’s Thomas Detry (65) and Hoge (68) in a tie for third place. Detry’s highlights included reaching the green on the par-4 14th hole with his drive and sinking an 11-foot eagle putt.
There was no shortage of golfers turning in stellar rounds, so the need to keep racking up birdies was evident.
“Fourteen under, probably about halfway there,” McNealy said. “I think I need to get to 28, at least.”
Matsuyama had a bogey-free round, including birdies on two of the three par-3 holes.
“I’m definitely satisfied with where I am,” Matsuyama said.
There is a level of relaxation for Matsuyama. Part of that could have come from starting early Friday and setting the tone.
The course setup and environment might be a bonus as well.
“Obviously the views are beautiful here,” Matsuyama said. “I haven’t played well here in a while, so it’s good to get off to a good start here.”
Among a group of golfers with the best rounds Friday were Keegan Bradley, who drained a 29-foot eagle putt on No. 18, and Wyndham Clark. They both shot 64.
Bradley and Clark are at 13 under in a four-way tie for seventh place with Cameron Young (67) and England’s Harry Hall (65).
“You got to keep making birdies. You got to keep going,” Bradley said. “That can be difficult.”
Bradley did better than birdie on No. 18. It was the first eagle of the tournament on that hole.
The conditions could prompt more low scores over the weekend.
“The greens are perfect out here,” Hoge said. “You feel like if you get within 10, 15 feet you got a great chance to make ’em. On top of that, I feel like the fairways are firming up, playing shorter, get a few shorter clubs into greens.”
Others with 64s on Friday were Australia’s Cam Davis (for 9 under total), Peter Malnati (8 under), J.T. Poston (8 under) and Patrick Cantlay (8 under).
With red numbers the norm, there could be shifts on the leaderboard.
“Look, I know guys are going to take it low,” Morikawa said. “… I feel like from hole 1 all the way through 18, I can make birdies, and with that mindset, it’s not about rushing, like, getting to 5 under by 9. If it comes, it comes.”
–Field Level Media
