KAPALUA, Hawaii — Collin Morikawa has become quite familiar with the Kapalua course, and trailing Hideki Matsuyama by seven shots early in the second round did not faze him. As the second round progressed on Friday at The Sentry, it was evident that he was closing the gap on the Japanese golfer.

Matsuyama put together an impressive round, remaining bogey-free on a beautiful day in Maui with mild winds. He achieved an impressive feat by recording seven birdies over a 10-hole stretch and finishing the day with an 8-under 65, which gave him a one-shot advantage heading into the weekend of the PGA Tour season opener.

Morikawa, on the other hand, surged through the latter part of his round with five consecutive birdies. Only one of these birdies exceeded a length of 5 feet, but his streak ended on the final hole of the Plantation course, where a 12-foot putt for birdie slipped by on the high side. Despite this, he also shot a 65 and looked forward optimistically to the weekend, noting the favorable conditions for scoring, especially with an elite field at The Sentry.

Reflecting on his early struggles in the round, Morikawa said, “Looking at the leaderboard, I was even par through six holes while others were already moving ahead, but I reminded myself to be patient. I know this golf course well, and I was confident that a birdie streak could happen at any moment.” This was Morikawa’s eighth time shooting 65 or lower at Kapalua, a record that is the highest among players since his debut in 2020.

Matsuyama, meanwhile, continued to demonstrate his skill, breaking into a smile after sinking a long 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th. With a collective score of 16-under 130, he found himself leading a closely packed group of competitors.

“I’m definitely satisfied with where I am,” Matsuyama expressed.

As the tournament progressed into the weekend, ten players were within three shots of each other. Among them, Corey Conners from Canada and Belgium’s Thomas Detry reached scores of 14-under 132, both benefiting from strong finishes. Conners achieved a memorable 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th hole and bolstered his score with a total of three birdies, finishing with a 66. Detry hit a remarkable eagle on the 306-yard 14th hole, reaching the green to 10 feet but finished with a par on the final hole for a 65.

The field showed impressive averages, with a score of 68.1, although the performance was somewhat affected by Davis Riley, who had the unfortunate distinction of recording the first 80 of the season. Riley began with four consecutive birdies but stumbled on the 17th hole with a lost ball, resulting in a score of 9 on that hole. Out of the entire field, only four players failed to finish under par.

For the rest, the focus was on targeting specific areas on the contoured greens that lead to the hole, resulting in successful birdie opportunities. Sepp Straka narrowly missed out on a perfect back nine but still managed a 65, while eight players recorded impressive scores of 64, notable among them being Davis Thompson, who improved by 14 strokes compared to his first round. Patrick Cantlay also significantly bettered his score with a 64, despite being eight shots behind Matsuyama.

Among those three shots back was former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, who made impressive birdies on eight of his last ten holes, suggesting that the low scores were a result of player performance rather than course difficulty. Clark noted, “While the scoring is low, we also make these courses appear simpler than they truly are. The reduced wind we experienced allowed for more birdie opportunities.”

As the rounds continue to unfold, Bradley, the Ryder Cup captain, finished with a 64, which included an eagle on the last hole. He even had the joyous moment of his two sons sprinting onto the fairway as he approached the green. Although he mentioned he has not dismissed the possibility of playing in the Ryder Cup, he maintained that there is plenty of time ahead.

“We are just two rounds into 2025,” he noted. “If July rolls around and my play is promising, we can revisit that discussion. For now, my focus remains on performing my best.”