Despite suffering a costly double bogey at the final hole on Friday, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama managed to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard after round two of the Olympic men’s golf competition at Le Golf National.
But he has company in the shape of two-time major champion Xander Schauffele and Team GB’s very own Tommy Fleetwood.
Matsuyama, who opened with an 8-under 63, followed up Friday with a 68 that featured an up-and-down front nine with three birdies and two bogeys. He seemed to be shifting momentum in the right direction on the back nine, making back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11 followed by a string of pars before notching two more birdies on 16 and 17.
But an errant tee shot on the par-4 18th put the current world No.12 well right of the fairway, and his second shot off the mounds went just 66 yards and didn’t make it past the first cut of rough. He dumped his third shot in the water in front of the green and after taking a drop, Matsuyama hit it to 12 feet and made the putt for a 6.
FLEETWOOD SOARS WITH EAGLE AT THE THIRD
Fleetwood flirted with the course record during his second round 64, getting it to 8-under on the day through 17 holes before finishing with his sole bogey of the day at the last. His round was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 third, where he drained a putt from 46 feet.
After the starting the day one stroke off the lead, defending gold medalist Schauffele dropped a shot early with a bogey at the second, but then turned things around with a stretch of three straight birdies from holes 3-5 and added three more on 9, 10 and 11. He recovered from a bogey on 14 with a birdie at 15 and finished with four straight pars to sign for a 66 to add to his opening 65.
Belgium’s Thomas Detry, who opened with an even-par 71, carded the round of the day with a bogey-free 63 and now stands T5 with Chinese Taipei’s CT Pan (65), the defending bronze medalist, and Korea’s Tom Kim (68). Spain’s Jon Rahm (66) sits in solo fourth.
For all the scores, click here.