Hideki Matsuyama ground his way into the lead in cold and wet conditions at the Zozo Championship on Friday.
The US Masters champion, playing in front of his fervent home fans at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club outside Tokyo, carded a second-round 68 to move to eight-under-par.
Matsuyama, Japan’s only male major winner, has a one-stroke lead over American Cameron Tringale, who had a superb four-under 66 on a chilly, damp day that made the par-70 course play much longer than its 7,041 yards.
The thermometer hovered around 15°C with rain steadily falling on the PGA Tour’s first tournament in Asia since the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in only 30 of the elite 78-man field breaking par.
Matsuyama’s controlled display, with three birdies and a solitary bogey, delighted the thousands of spectators who turned out to follow their hero in miserable conditions.
Trees ➡️ hole high
Hideki Matsuyama makes it look simple. pic.twitter.com/26XXnFmnaO
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 22, 2021
“It wasn’t a perfect round, but I played well. I’m happy with it,” said Matsuyama. “It’s not often that we play in rain and cold at the same time, but I’m happy with the round and it was a good day.”
Tringale, chasing a first PGA Tour win 12 years after turning pro, finished with a birdie to equal the low-round of the day with a 66.
“I left myself in the right positions on these greens and was able to make a few putts. That was the day,” said the 34-year-old.
Xander Schauffele, back to the country where he won Olympic gold less than three months ago, had a shocking start as he shot 74.
Playing with Matsuyama, he began with a scruffy double bogey and slumped to three more bogeys in the next four holes. He heads into the weekend 12 shots off the lead.
Among the chasers, Matsuyama’s President’s Cup teammate Joaquin Niemann took time to get going.
The Chilean was three-over-par for his round with four to play but managed to find two birdies for a 71 to give him a five-under-par total that keeps him firmly in the hunt for the $1,791,000 winner’s cheque.
“It was freezing,” said the smiling South American, frantically rubbing his hands together to warm them. “I couldn’t feel my hands and I managed to have a good round so I’m happy.”
Matsuyama had rated his form as only “one out of 10” at the start of the week but Niemann was having none of it.
“He says he’s not playing his best golf? I think he’s playing pretty good,” said Niemann.
Double major champion Collin Morikawa found his form after struggling on day one, a 68 taking him to one-under, seven off the lead.
And there are two Englishman at the right end of the leaderboard, who both seemed to revel in conditions more akin to a British summer.
Matt Wallace followed his first-round 65 with a 69 to move to six-under, level with American Brendan Steele and two behind Matsuyama.
Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood birdied the last to be a shot further back after a 68.
“It’s kind of like home,” said Wallace. “But you’ve got to enjoy it and you’ve got to embrace it.
“It was cold, wet, greens are soft and a bit slower. It was just a tough day.”
Steele will be looking forward to sunshine over the weekend when the forecast looks more favourable.
“I’m from California, I do not play in the rain,” he confessed with a smile after a two-under 68. “When it rains, I stay inside. I was just happy to hold it together today.”
© Agence France-Presse
