On the halfway level of The Sentry at Kapalua, Hideki Matsuyama sits atop the leaderboard at 16-under par. The 2021 Masters champion seemed unstoppable as soon as once more on Friday, firing an 8-under 65 for the consecutive day. He relied closely on his iron play, hitting his trademark tight draw on the flag all day. That explains why he gained greater than three strokes on method on Friday alone, which presently leads the sector.
But, he leads Collin Morikawa, who has had loads of success on this course over the previous 5 years, by solely a stroke.
“I haven’t performed properly right here shortly, so it’s good to get off to a great begin right here,” Matsuyama stated.
As soon as once more, this event has become an absolute birdie fest, as Sunday’s profitable rating will seemingly threaten 30-under par. Kapalua has already yielded 365 birdies by 36 holes, whereas gamers have made solely 79 bogies over that very same span.
A part of that’s as a result of the tradewinds died on Friday, making it a lot simpler on the sector. This 59-man subject produced a scoring common of 68.1 for the second spherical, practically 5 pictures beneath par. Thursday’s scoring common, in the meantime, was 70.7.
“I feel the wind was down, clearly, initially, so quite a bit simpler to regulate the golf ball on the market. The greens are good out right here. You’re feeling like in case you get inside 10, 15 toes, you bought an excellent likelihood to make ‘em,” defined Tom Hoge, the first-round chief who’s now 14-under.
“On prime of that, I really feel just like the fairways are firming up, taking part in shorter, and also you get a couple of shorter golf equipment into greens. I feel you undergo the golf course, and so long as you possibly can keep away from some bother on the market, there are such a lot of scorable holes that you need to make a variety of birdies out right here.”
Leaderboard:
1. Hideki Matsuyama -16 — 65-65
2. Collin Morikawa -15 — 66-65
T3. Corey Conners -14 — 66-66
T3. Maverick McNealy -14 — 68-64
T3. Tom Hoge -14 — 64-68
T3. Thomas Detry -14 — 69-64
T7. Keegan Bradley -13 — 69-64
T7. Harry Corridor -13 — 68-65
T7. Cameron Younger -13 — 66-67
T7. Wyndham Clark -13 — 69-64
11. Sepp Straka -12 — 69-65
12. Will Zalatoris -11 — 65-70
Eight gamers fired rounds of 64, together with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who’s sporting fairly the mustache to start the 12 months. Maverick McNealy, Thomas Detry, and Wyndham Clark additionally carded 64s to place themselves into rivalry.
Morikawa, in the meantime, fired one stroke worse, however he’ll be a part of Matsuyama and Corey Conners within the closing pairing on Saturday. The 2-time main winner didn’t get off to a terrific begin, making the flip with a 2-under 34. He then turned up the warmth on the again 9, capturing a 6-under 31 which included 5 consecutive birdies on holes 13 by 17.
“I do know guys are going to take it low. I like to take a look at leaderboards, and I do know by the point I begin tomorrow, somebody will in all probability have the lead, or another person, earlier than Hideki and I’m going out,” Morikawa stated.
“I really feel like from Gap 1 all through 18, I could make birdies, and with that mindset, it’s not about dashing, like, attending to 5-under by 9. If it comes, it comes. Right this moment, I simply didn’t get off to the most popular begin, so I simply saved grinding and giving myself probabilities. You make a couple of, you get just a little momentum, and you’ve got a few par-5s coming in. It will be good to birdie 18, hopefully, as soon as later this week. That might be good.”
Regardless of rating because the fourth best gap this week, Morikawa has not been capable of reap the benefits of the par-5 18th, which performs severely downhill and measures greater than 660 yards. He had a terrific likelihood to match the lead on Friday, however his 12-footer slid previous the opening on the excessive aspect.
“I felt like for the complete again 9, I had birdie appears to be like,” Morikawa added.
“Clearly, I made a handful, but it surely was simply good to see a pair drop and hit additionally, you understand, a pair shut on 14 and 15.”
Contemplating The Sentry is a birdie barrage 12 months in and 12 months out, the event normally comes all the way down to placing. Whoever can capitalize on their alternatives might be in rivalry on the finish on Sunday. Morikawa is presently tenth in strokes gained placing, whereas Matsuyama is 14th. Not unhealthy per se, but when one in every of these two can enhance their placing considerably over the weekend, then both one ought to have a agency grasp on the event. Apparently, Tony Finau, who has traditionally struggled on the greens, leads the sector in strokes gained placing on the halfway level. Finau is 10-under for the championship and sits in a tie for thirteenth.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Observe him on X @jack_milko.