Matsuyama still up by one

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Hideki Matsuyama piled up 11 birdies in an 11-under par 62 on Saturday to set the 54-hole tournament record at 27-under and maintain a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa at The Sentry tournament at Kapalua, Hawaii.

Morikawa also posted a 62, his featuring nine birdies and an eagle.

With the winds that so often buffet the Plantation Course again largely absent, five players posted rounds of 10-under or better.

Matsuyama’s gave him a 54-hole score of 192 — one stroke better than the previous 54-hole tournament record.

Japan’s Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, got things going with a run of four straight birdies from the third through the sixth. He rolled in a 58-foot birdie putt at the par-five ninth to make the turn level with Morikawa.

After birdies at the 10th and 12th he took the lead for good with a three-foot birdie at the 14th. That launched a run of three straight birdies, and Matsuyama kept the momentum with an unlikely par at 17 after his tee shot wound up on the wrong side of the cart path.

He closed with a birdie at the par-five 18th, where he muscled his second shot to the edge of the green and two-putted to maintain his advantage on Morikawa.

“Collin played well and I just kind of followed him, so good day,” said Matsuyama, who is closing in on his 20th professional win and his 11th on the PGA Tour.