Matsuyama stays a shot ahead of Morikawa in Hawaii
KAPALUA, Hawaii—Hideki Matsuyama and Collin Morikawa put on a stripe show on Saturday, each of them posting an 11-under-par 62 at vulnerable Kapalua that threatened to turn The Sentry into a two-man show as the PGA Tour opener winds down.
The 2021 Masters champion, Matsuyama had a shot at tying the course record with a long eagle attempt from just short of the 18th green. He took two putts for birdie to maintain the one-shot lead he had over Morikawa at the start of the day.
Morikawa holed a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 closing hole for his 62. He briefly took the lead on the front nine by starting five-under in five holes, including a 25-foot eagle putt on the fifth during a display of sublime shotmaking.
Matsuyama caught him on the next hole and they were tight the rest of the way.
The 11 birdies for Matsuyama are the most he has made in a round on the PGA Tour. He is at 27-under 192, a 54-hole record on the Plantation course at Kapalua.
It was reminiscent of 2022, when Cameron Smith set the tournament record—and PGA Tour record to par—at 34-under 258. The conditions were abnormally calm that year, and this year wasn’t much different.
Chasing No. 20
“I just have to believe that I’m in good shape and ready to go, so that’s where I’m at,” said the 32-year-old Matsuyama, who is now in contention for his 20th professional win and his 11th on the PGA Tour.
Morikawa also took full advantage of his birdie chances, with the highlight of his round being a string of five from the 13th.
“I just hit some quality shots and gave myself a run of birdie opportunities. I felt like for the entire back nine I had birdie looks,” Morikawa said. “Obviously, I made a handful, but it was just nice to see a couple drop and hit also, you know, a couple close on 14 and 15.”
“It’s not telling myself I got to be patient. I just know this golf course and I know at any point you can kind of go on a little stretch of birdies, and I just had to keep playing my game.”
A quartet of players were a further shot back of Morikawa—Corey Conners; Maverick McNealy, who shot 64; overnight leader Tom Hoge, who slipped back after his 68; and Belgian Thomas Detry (65).
USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley also shot 64 and sits three shots off the lead after ending his round with an eagle on the 18th, where he sank a 29-foot putt.
