Hisatsune leads idol Matsuyama in Phoenix

Japanese Ryo Hisatsune leads his idol Hideki Matsuyama by one stroke after the second round of the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open.

Hisatsune, who finished second at the Farmers Insurance Open last week, fired an eight-under par 63 to follow up on his 68 the day earlier.

He was on fire in the back nine, playing his final six holes in 6-under. He picked up a birdie and an eagle for an 11-under par total of 131.

The 23-year-old, chasing to be only the sixth Japanese player to win a PGA Tour title, carded had two birdies on the front nine. His eight-foot eagle came at the 15^th hole.

Former Masters champion and two-time champion here, Matsuyama had a six-birdie streak of his own in a seven-under par 64 for 10-under 132.

Hisatsune will play alongside Matsuyama in round three, the second time the two have played in the same group since the 2024 PGA Championship.

Overnight leader Chris Gotterup, seeking a second win of 2026 after a triumph at the Sony Open in Hawaii last month, carded an even par 71 and at eight-under 134 was tied for third with Pierceson Coody, who posted a three-under 68.

Coody, who finished T2 at last week’s Farmers Insurance Open, is one of three players to finish inside the top 25 in each of the first three events of the 2026 season together with Ryan Gerard and Kim Si Woo.

After a 2-over 73 in round one, Si Woo is T5/-7 bounced back to post a 9-under 62. He started with a bogey on his opening hole but recovered brilliantly for his low 18-hole score in 36 career rounds at TPC Scottsdale.  England’s John Parry is tied with Si Woo with a 66 second round.

Sahith Theegala is also at T5 after firing two eagles (Nos. 3 and 13) for the second time in his career.

World number one Scottie Scheffler was in danger of missing the halfway cut after a first-round 73. But he bounced back with six birdies in a six-under 65 and at four-under made the cut with three strokes to spare.

Five-time major-winner Brooks Koepka missed the cut in his second tournament since returning to the PGA Tour from the breakaway LIV Golf league.

Koepka followed an opening 75 with a two-under 69 and at two-over par missed the cut that fell at one-under.

PARTIAL Second-Round Leaderboard