The world’s big-name players are in China but on Friday, it looked like they were playing in Scotland during the second round of the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.
The field found wind and cool temperatures waiting at Sheshan International Golf Club.
Hideki Matsuyama didn’t mind. He went out and fired the day’s best round — a seven-under par 65 that boosted him to a three-shot lead at the halfway mark of the season’s first WGC event.
“During the warmups this morning it was starting to get windy and I thought maybe a couple under par would be a good score,” Matsuyama said after he posted nine birdies on a difficult day. “I have been playing well. I hit some good second shots and made some putts. I’m really happy with how it ended up today.”
On the back nine, Matsuyama made five birdies with his final one coming at the par five 18th.
Defending champion Russell Knox stayed close. Knox shot 68 and is trying to become the only player besides Tiger Woods to defend a WGC title. Knox was at 10-under par along with Bill Haas.
Rory McIlroy, playing with a new driver and fairway woods, shot the day’s second-best round, a six-under par 66 that got him into contention going into the weekend at seven-under par.
First round leader Rikard Karlberg shot 65 after opening with 64 on Thursday.
Dustin Johnson, the highest-ranked player in the field, found himself shooting 74 for the second straight day. Another top 10 star — Adam Scott — found the conditions not to his liking as he soared to an eight-over par 80 and was in at five-over par.
Good news for Patrick Reed is that there is no 36-hole cut in these events. He’s nine-over par after rounds of 78-75.
