LOS ANGELES — Ryo Hisatsune rode a back-nine binge to an eight-under par 63 on Friday (Saturday in Manila) and a one-shot lead over fellow Japanese Hideki Matsuyama at the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open.
Hisatsune picked up six strokes in the space of five holes on the back nine at TPC Scottsdale building an 11-under par total of 131.
Former Masters champion Matsuyama had a six-birdie streak of his own in a seven-under par 64 for 10-under 132.
Hisatsune, a 23-year-old chasing his first PGA Tour title, had two birdies on the front nine before launching his streak with a four-foot birdie at the 13th.
He drained a 23-foot birdie putt at 14, rolled in an eight-foot eagle at 15 and a seven-foot birdie at 16. He capped the run with a remarkable birdie at the par-four 17th, where he was in the water off the tee and after taking his drop chipped in.
“It was very lucky,” he admitted, adding it was also “more fun.”
He called playing alongside Matsuyama in the final group on Saturday a “dream”.
Matsuyama, who won back-to-back Phoenix Open titles in 2016 and 2017, teed off on 10 and surged up the leaderboard with six straight birdies from the 13th through the 18th.
He rolled in a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-five 13th, drained three-foot birdie putts at 14 and 15 and drilled a 29-foot birdie putt at the 16th to delight the throng of fans in the multi-level hospitality suites surrounding the hole.
He admitted that the huge crowds can make for a nervy experience but Matsuyama, who has five top-five finishes and five top-10s in Phoenix, said he loves the atmosphere.
Riding high after the birdie at 16, Matsuyama drove the green at the par-four 17th and two-putted for birdie from 50 feet, then stuck his second shot at 18 inside four feet for a birdie there.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, in danger of missing the halfway cut after a first-round 73, bounced back with six birdies in a six-under 65 and at four-under made the cut with three strokes to spare. AFP