Golf

Hideki Matsuyama Shares the Lead After 2nd Round of Olympic Golf Tournament

The 2021 Masters champion could have taken the sole lead at Le Golf National if not for a double bogey on the final hole. He shot a 68 in the second round.

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Hideki Matsuyama double bogeyed the final hole to drop into a three-way tie for the lead after the second round of the Paris Olympics golf tournament on Friday, August 2.

Matsuyama shot a 68 at Le Golf National to finish tied with defending Olympic champion Xander Schauffele of the United States and Britain's Tommy Fleetwood at 11-under 131, two ahead of Jon Rahm of Spain.

Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, pulled his tee shot on the par-4 18th hole into the rough. After blasting out, his third shot found the water at the side of the green before he holed an excellent 12-foot putt to avoid a triple.

"I'm glad I was able to finish in a good position," Matsuyama said, according to Kyodo News. "When the wind blows it's tough, and something like the last hole can happen, so I have to be well prepared."

Fleetwood took a bogey from a fairway bunker on 18 for a 64 while British Open winner Schauffele posted a 5-under 66.

Olympic golf participant Tommy Fleetwood (Matthew Childs/REUTERS)

Fleetwood has experience on his side. He won the French Open at Le Golf National in 2017 and was a member of Europe's Ryder Cup-winning team a year later at the same course.

"You are always better off coming to a course where you have good feelings and good things have happened," Fleetwood said, according to The Associated Press. 

Matsuyama had three birdies against a pair of bogeys on the front nine. He found his rhythm after the turn with four birdies, including back-to-back on 16 and 17, before the meltdown on the final hole.

Xander Schauffele plays his shot on the fifth tee during the second round of the men's golf tourney. (George Walker IV/AP)

Reigning Olympic Golf Champion Chases Another Gold

Schauffele had seven birdies and two bogeys to put himself in a very good position to defend his Olympic title.

"Five under is a good score on this property," Schauffele was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. "Overall, sitting in a good spot coming into the weekend."

Japan's Keita Nakajima came in with his second straight 70 and is in a tie for 30th.

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler of the United States is in contention after firing a 69 that left him tied for 10th at 6-under with Erik van Rooyen of South Africa and Joaquin Niemann of Chile.

Thomas Detry of Belgium had the day's lowest score of 8-under 63 to finish within three shots of the lead and tied for fifth along with 22-year-old Tom Kim of South Korea (68) and CT Pan of Taiwan (65), the bronze medalist from the Tokyo Games.

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Author: Jim Armstrong

The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook.

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