Morikawa Closes in on Matsuyama at The Sentry Tournament

In the picturesque setting of Kapalua, Hawaii, Collin Morikawa demonstrated his experience and patience as he started the second round of The Sentry Tournament trailing Hideki Matsuyama by seven strokes. Matsuyama continued to excel throughout the day, remaining bogey-free and netting seven birdies over a span of ten holes, ultimately posting an impressive 8-under 65 to lead by one shot as competitors prepared for the weekend.

Morikawa, meanwhile, got hot late in his round by scoring five consecutive birdies, only interrupted by a missed birdie attempt from 12 feet on the final hole. He also posted a 65 and expressed optimism for the remaining rounds, acknowledging the favorable scoring conditions at the tournament, which features top PGA Tour performers from the previous year.

Throughout the competitive field, Matsuyama exuded confidence and satisfaction with his performance, especially after making a remarkable 35-foot birdie on the par-3 11th. The leaderboard saw a tight race, with ten players within just three shots of each other, including Corey Conners and Thomas Detry, both scoring 14-under after strong finishes to their rounds.

The average score for the day hovered around 68.1, though Davis Riley struggled significantly, recording an 80 after a series of mishaps. Most players took advantage of the calm day to capitalize on opportunities to score, making birdies by targeting specific spots on the challenging contoured greens. Sepp Straka highlighted his performance by birdieing every hole on the back nine, albeit missing a putt on a well-executed approach.

Notably, eight players achieved a score of 64, including Davis Thompson and Patrick Cantlay, who significantly improved from their earlier rounds. Former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark chimed in on the low scoring, attributing it to the players' talent rather than course difficulty as he birdied eight out of his last ten holes.

Among those competing, Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley also impressed with a final round eagle, and he remains focused on his performance without concerning himself with the Ryder Cup just yet. As the tournament progresses, the competition intensifies, and players are poised for a thrilling weekend at Kapalua.