Hisatsune chips in for birdie after water ball, shoots 63 to take 2nd-round lead at Phoenix Open

Scheffler enjoyed his round a bit more than he did while opening with a 73 that put him danger of missing a cut for the first time since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Classic.

After working on his grip, Scheffler shot 2-under 33 on the front nine to move close to the cut line and left no doubt with four birdies on the back to extend his streak to 66 cuts made, longest active on the PGA Tour. His 3-foot birdie on No. 18 capped a bogey-free 65 that got him to 4 under, seven shots back.

And don’t think the seven-shot difference is insurmountable.

Scheffler has won twice when trailing by more than shots, including the 2022 Phoenix Open, where he made up nine shots for his first PGA Tour victory.

“Felt a bit lost out there at times yesterday, so today felt a lot better, felt more in control of my game,” he said. “You can obviously see that through the cleaner card today.”

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.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., were the leading Canadians, sitting six shots back of the lead. Hughes had a 69 on the day, while Ewart had a 68.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., is one shot back of his countrymen after a 64. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., had a 68 to be eight shots back of the lead. Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., missed the cut with a second straight round of 72.

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.

Now he’ll be paired with Matsuyama on Saturday in the third round.

“It’s some dreams on my pairing,” Hisatsune said.

Matsuyama opened with a bogey-free 68 and began his second round with three straight pars.

Then he started hitting it close.

Matsuyama birdied the par-5 13th despite hitting his drive left into the desert and hit his approach to 3 feet on the 498-yard par-4 14th for another birdie. He added another a 3-footer and revved up the already-juiced crowd with a 29-foot birdie putt on 16.

Matsuyama had a two-putt birdie on the reachable par-4 17th and capped a 6-under 30 on the back nine with a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 18. He hit it inside 10 feet for two more birdies on Nos. 4-5, but bogeyed the par-4 ninth after pulling his tee shot into the thick left rough.

“It’s a great golf course,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter. “You have to play well here, strike the ball well to play well and the crowd gets me geared up for that.”

Matsuyama will have a comfortable pairing in the third round with Hisatsune.

That could change if Scheffler makes another run.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

John Marshall, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Hisatsune chips in for birdie after water ball, shoots 63 to take 2nd-round lead at Phoenix Open

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