Hideki Matsuyama of Japan overtook countryman Ryo Hisatsune for the lead after three rounds of the WM Phoenix Open on Saturday at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
Playing in the final group together, Matsuyama and Hisatsune appeared headed for a share of the lead when Matsuyama parred No. 18 and Hisatsune escaped a greenside bunker, leaving himself 5 1/2 feet to save par.
But Hisatsune’s putt started left and stayed left, missing the cup altogether for a difficult bogey.
Hisatsune, 23, led his more accomplished peer by one stroke through two rounds. Matsuyama’s 3-under-par 68 propelled him to a 13-under 200 through three rounds, and Hisatsune’s late blunder led him to a round of 70.
Hisatsune, who had birdied Nos. 10 and 17 to catch up to Matsuyama, dropped into a four-way tie at 12-under with Maverick McNealy (65), Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (65) and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (66).
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick held a share of the lead after consecutive birdies at Nos. 14-15, but he made a mess of the par-3 16th “Stadium Hole” and recorded a double bogey. A birdie-bogey finish left him at 67 for his round and part of a tie at 11 under with Michael Thorbjornsen (65), Jake Knapp (66) and Akshay Bhatia (67).
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler posted a 67 that featured a chip-in birdie from the sand at No. 10. He’s five off the pace at 8-under entering Sunday.
–Field Level Media
