LOS ANGELES • World No. 5 Hideki Matsuyama is confident that things will change for the better after carding a two-under 69 in the opening round of the Phoenix Open, which puts the Japanese golfer five strokes off the pace from leader Bill Haas.
The 25-year-old is seeking a rare three-peat at the US$6.9 million (S$9.1 million) tournament, and knows he will join Arnold Palmer (1961-63) as the only players to have won it three times in a row if he triumphs tomorrow.
Matsuyama told Kyodo News after the first round on Thursday at TPC Scottsdale: "My putting wasn't bad, I just couldn't sink some. I was playing pretty nervously at the start, but I ended up doing better than I thought."
Haas, on the other hand, found his long-lost putting touch and rode his luck for a two-stroke lead. The 35-year-old "got lucky" on the greens as he recorded a 64.
"The putter was hot the first nine holes," Haas, a six-time PGA Tour winner, told reporters after a round that included a 30-foot birdie at the second hole, his 11th.
"I kind of hit a bad putt but it hit the back of the cup and went in.
"So one of those days where I could have easily three-putted that if it had run by, but it went in and saved two shots there basically."
Rickie Fowler joined four fellow Americans at 66, with his lone bogey coming at the par-three 16th hole, which is famous for its rowdy fans who eschew golf etiquette by routinely booing bad shots. But the world No. 7 thought they went too far.
"They weren't holding back," he said. "I was a little disappointed in some of the stuff that was said and I don't want much negativity - the normal boos for missing a green, that's fine, but leave the heckling to a minimum and make it fun."
Justin Thomas (68) also heard from the gallery when he ran up a double-bogey at the 16th. He was also upset by the crowd, particularly a scream from a female spectator during Jordan Spieth's tee shot at the last. The world No. 3 carded a one-over 72.
REUTERS
PHOENIX OPEN
Day 3: StarHub Ch204, tomorrow, 3am
