SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Ryo Hisatsune chipped in for birdie after driving his ball in the water on the par-4 17th hole and shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 on Friday to surge into the lead in the second round of the Phoenix Open.
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler closed out a 65 with a 3-foot birdie on No. 18 to extend the PGA Tour’s longest cuts streak to 65. He was seven shots back at 4 under.
Two-time Phoenix Open champion Brooks Koepka had a much tougher go of it, finishing at 2 over to miss the cut in his second tournament since being reinstated by the PGA Tour. He followed an opening 75 with a 69.
Two Japanese players made the most noise on another warm day at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course.
Two-time Phoenix Open champion Hideki Matsuyama had a run of six straight birdies to shoot 64 in the morning wave to take the lead at 10 under.
He was surpassed by his countryman in the afternoon.
Hisatsune was at 5 under after two birdies on the front nine, then electrified the rowdy crowds by going 6 under in a five-hole stretch – highlighted by his chip-in at 17 – to reach 11-under 131.
Overnight leader Chris Gotterup shot 71 to join Pierceson Coody (68) at 8 under.
Hisatsune tied for second at Torrey Pines last week after missing the cut in the season-opening Sony Open. He had four top-10s as a PGA Tour rookie last year.
The 23-year-old kicked off his closing flourish with birdies on 13 and 14, then dropped in an 8-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th. Hisatsune sent roars through the stadium par-3 16th by sinking a 7-foot birdie putt and smiled sheepishly at his chip in on 17 after hitting his tee shot left into the pond.
Matsuyama opened with a bogey-free 68 and began his second round with three straight pars.
Scheffler shot 2-under 33 on the front nine and had four birdies on the back, capped by the short one on 18.
DP WORLD: In Doha, Qatar, Patrick Reed birdied two of his last three holes Friday for a 5-under 67, giving him a one-shot lead in the Qatar Masters as the American tries to wrap up a career-changing month in the Middle East with another victory.
Reed took advantage of late scoring opportunities at Doha Golf Club. He drove just short of the reachable par-4 16th to set up a pitch-and-putt birdie, then chose to lay up from 272 yards on the par-5 18th with water down the left side. Reed hit wedge to 7 feet for birdie.
That put him at 12-under 132, one shot ahead of Joakim Lagergren of Sweden, who had a 66. Daniel Hillier of New Zealand (69) and Richard Sterne of South Africa (66) were another shot back.
LIV: At Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Elvis Smylie and Peter Uihlein share the lead at 16 under par after the third round of LIV Golf Riyadh.
On Friday, Smylie shot 65, and Uihlein carded a 66 to take a one-shot lead over Talor Gooch (67).
Jon Rahm shot 67 and is in a three-way tie for third at 14 under with Abraham Ancer (65) and Thomas Detry (68).