Two crowd favorites top crowded Kapalua leaderboard
Second-round leader Hideki Matsuyama follows through on his drive on the uphill fourth hole Friday.
By Matthew Thayer
Two crowd favorites who have played well through the years at the Kapalua Plantation Course without capturing a win, Hideki Matsuyama and Collin Morikawa, sit atop the leaderboard halfway through The Sentry PGA Tour season-opening golf tournament.
Matsuyama is alone in first place after posting his second-straight eight-under-par 65 Friday to put him at 16 under. Second place Morikawa matched that 65 to reach 15 under.
Collin Morikawa walks off the Kapalua Plantation Course's ninth green after settling for par. The former Cal Bear shot an eight-under-par 65 and is alone at second place halfway through The Sentry at 15 under.
Those scores were far from dominating as the leaderboard is crowded at the top. Four golfers, Corey Conners, Maverick McNealy, Tom Hoge and Thomas Detry, are tied for third and 14 under. Four pros, Keegan Bradley Harry Hall, Cameron Young and Wyndham Clark, are tied for seventh at 13 under. Another six players are within six shots of the lead.
Offering short answers in his post-round media interview, Matsuyama, a Japanese pro out of Sendai Japan, was asked why he plays well in Hawaii.
Second-round leader Hideki Matsuyama chips to the Kapalua Plantation Course's ninth green Friday. His second-straight eight-under-par 65 put him at 16 under, one shot clear of second-place Collin Morikawa as they head into the weekend of the $20 million PGA Tour golf tournament at the Kapalua Plantation Course.
"You know, obviously the views are beautiful here, I haven't played well here in a while, so it's good to get off to a good start here," he said.
Former University of California Berkeley player Morikawa, whose family roots on Maui date back to a family-owned restaurant on Lahaina's Front Street, said knowing the layout helped him to remain confident during a slow start to the day. He finished Friday's round with five-straight birdies.
Peter Malnati gives an autographed golf ball to volunteer standard bearer Felix Eisenberg, 13, after shooting a nine-under-par 64 Friday. Eisenberg is Maui Junior Golf member and a sixth grader at Kalama Intermediate School.
"Yeah, I mean, when you look at the leaderboard, and I'm through six holes and I'm even par, and guys are lapping the field already," Morikawa said. But like I said, 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. The game felt solid enough to shoot a low score and thankfully it came on that back half of the round today."
Morikawa said favorable conditions and low winds mean weekend scores are sure to go low.
Corey Conners (left) shakes hands with playing partner Nico Echavarria after their round Friday. Canadian Conners shot his second-straight 66 and is tied for third at 14 under.
"Yeah, look, I know guys are going to take it low," Morikawa said. "I like to look at leaderboards and I know by the time I start tomorrow, someone's probably going to have the lead, someone else, before Hideki and I go out. But it's just like I said. I feel like from hole one all the way through 18, I can make birdies and with that mindset, it's not about rushing, like, getting to 5-under by 9. If it comes, it comes."
A mirror reflects golf patrons walking the steep uphill path alongside the Kapalua Plantation Course's ninth hole Friday.
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley hits his long approach to No. 9 Friday.
Viktor Hovland lines up a putt on No. 9 green Friday. Visibly limping from a broken toe when he finished his round, the Norwegien pro shot 69 and is tied for 29th at four under.
Tony Finau misses a birdie putt on No. 9 Friday. Finau shot 69 and is tied for 13th place at 10 under par.
Brian Harman hits from the deep rough on his way to posting bogey on No. 18 Friday. He shot 74 and sits alone at 58th place in the 59-player field.
Two-time tournament champion Justin Thomas chips to the ninth hole after his long approach sailed over the green Friday. He finished with a 71 that put him in a tie for 44th place at four under.
No doubt, there's a story that goes with the golf-ball-sized dent in the Sentry signage along the Kapalua Plantation Course's ninth hole Friday.
Belgian pro Thomas Detry tees off on No. 3 Friday. He shot 65 and is part of a four-player tie for third place at 14 under.
Peter Malnati waves to the gallery on No. 18 green after sinking a birdie putt to seal a nine-under-par 64 Friday.
Max Greyserman hits his approach to No. 18 Friday. He shot 67.