Hideki Matsuyama arrived on the 18th tee holding a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood, contemporary off back-to-back birdies on his earlier two holes.
However then catastrophe struck on the closing gap at Le Golf Nationwide, one of many tougher holes on the course. Matsuyama pushed his drive proper of the golf green, as his ball got here to relaxation in a nasty, whispy lie on the aspect of a hill. He had no alternative however to put up in need of the inexperienced, a placing floor guarded by water throughout. Besides Matsuyama hit a poor restoration, gouging out his second shot and advancing his ball solely 66 yards. It didn’t escape the tough, leaving Matsuyama with a fragile third from 122 yards away.
The 2021 Masters winner then plunked his third shot within the water, which led to a double-bogey and evaporated his two-shot benefit. He mentioned he tried to play it safely, hoping to stroll away with a bogey at worst, however the wind swallowed up his ball and despatched it fishing.
But, Matsuyama nonetheless enters Saturday’s third spherical tied for the lead with Fleetwood and Xander Schauffele at 11-under-par, as he has a chief alternative to convey residence a gold medal to his native Japan.
“The Olympics, it’s fulfilling, joyful, however on the identical time, it’s robust competitors,” Matsuyama mentioned after his 3-under 68.
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“I see some tough challenges, and I wish to overcome these difficulties. I wish to benefit from the ultimate day by profitable this.”
Previous to his come across the 18th, Matsuyama made seven birdies to go together with a pair of bogies. He was 5-under on the day via 17 holes. However Matsuyama is just not dwelling on his end; he’s solely waiting for the subsequent 36 holes.
“I ended up getting some birdies right now, and though it was robust on the finish, I wish to play properly tomorrow,” Matsuyama mentioned.
“I don’t know what the wind route might be tomorrow, and I’m unsure if the temperature will drop tomorrow, so I’d prefer to plan based mostly on the circumstances tomorrow morning. I’m actually having fun with my second Olympic Video games. Nevertheless, whereas I’m taking part in golf, I’m concentrating and considering as regular. There are each good and dangerous instances, however I wish to do my finest in order that I can really feel glad on the finish of the fourth day.”
Matsuyama solely desires satisfaction after the ultimate spherical, when the Olympics will hand out the gold, silver, and bronze medals to the highest three finishers. In any case, he’s hungry for a podium end after he fell simply in need of that three years in the past in Tokyo, shedding to C.T. Pan in a seven-for-one playoff that decided the bronze medalist.
And but, Matsuyama feels that have is not going to assist him this time round. He’s solely specializing in what’s in entrance of him.
“I don’t know what I can take from Tokyo, however all I can do is do my finest to compete for the win,” Matsuyama added.
“Once I was within the spherical, I didn’t even take into consideration what was good or what was working. I’m actually working exhausting to attain decrease, however I feel I had steadiness and plenty of birdies on this one, so I’ll do my finest tomorrow.”
When Matsuyama is at his finest, he’s undoubtedly among the finest gamers on this planet—as evidenced by his opening spherical and his win earlier this 12 months at Riviera. He additionally performed admirably for his first 17 holes on Friday. So if he can efficiently put his dreadful end behind him, which he’s little doubt able to, relaxation assured that Matsuyama will vie for gold come Sunday afternoon.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
