Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune leads compatriot Hideki Matsuyama at Phoenix Open, Scheffler makes cut
Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka missed the cut in his second tournament since returning to PGA Tour from the breakaway LIV Golf league
Ryo Hisatsune rode a back-nine binge to an eight-under par 63 on Friday and a one-shot lead over fellow Japanese golfer 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”.