SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Friday at a PGA event is unlike any other experience.

Cuts are set, and expectations flow throughout the course, prompting fans to observe and players to excel to new limits. 

Ryo Hisatsune, who finished with an 11-under-par score, shone throughout the day, exceeding expectations. For many major names who were cut, such as Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau and Brooks Koepka, the expectations dwindled away.

At the Waste Management Open located at TPC Scottsdale, the Phoenix Open continued on with round two on Friday, Feb. 6. A bigger crowd than on the first day gathered in the stands, flooded the store doors and celebrated their favorite golfers. 

Hisatsune, a Japanese golfer, started his front nine at 3-under par and tied for 14th in the tournament. He lightly tapped in his final putt on the 18th hole with a score of 8-under-par, including a 6-under-par back nine with four birdies and an eagle. 

“Especially in this last week, I have been putting very well,” Hisatsune said. “I’m playing very well, especially this week. I’m more confident in playing golf.”

Only one spot below Hisatsune is another Japanese golfer, Hideki Matsuyama, who shot an impressive 7-under-par in round two. Matsuyama recorded an amazing front nine, scoring a 6-under-par with six consecutive birdies on holes 13-18.

On the last hole, the seasoned veteran missed a nine-foot putt, showcasing his disappointment while walking right after he hit it. The ball never got towards the hole, tallying him a bogey to end his day. 

“I love playing here,” Matsuyama said about his day. “The energy that's out there, so many fans cheering you on. If you hit a bad shot, they’ll boo you. There’s some pressure, but I love it.”

The leader coming into the day, Chris Gotterup, really struggled to find a rhythm on the course.

On the very first hole of his round, he missed a very short putt, causing a bogey on hole one. 

After the minor slip-up from the Rutgers graduate, he stayed at even par throughout the entire day. His round consisted of one eagle on hole 13, two birdies and four bogeys, causing him to move down to tied for third in the standings.

“A Thursday lead is way different than a Saturday lead,” Gotterup said after his round. “You just kind of have to stay in the mix. Even though I shot even par, I’m still right in the mix of it. I look forward to the weekend.”

A major storyline coming into the day for many fans was about one of Gotterup’s group partners, the number one golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler. 

Scheffler finished the first round 2-over-par and below the projected cut line for the next day.

The reliable 20-time PGA winner bounced back on Friday, rallying a 6-under-par on the day and well above the cut. Scheffler was dialed all day long, not recording a single score above par and six birdies on the scorecard.

“I struck it much better today,” Scheffler said. “I felt a little bit lost out there yesterday, so today felt a lot better. I felt more in control of my game, and obviously, you see that on the card.”

Tied up with Gotterup at third place is Pierceson Coody, who did not have his best round but finished with a 3-under-par on the day. While Coody did have three bogeys and multiple missed opportunities on the course, he rallied with six birdies.

The top round of the day was none other than Si Woo Kim, a four-time winner on the tour. Kim started off his day sluggish, scoring a bogey on hole one, but then went on an improbable run of shots. 

After a birdie on 12, Kim struck a 314-yard drive into the fairway of 13 and struck it close to the flag for a 27-foot eagle putt. The South Korean golfer struck it perfectly, sparking a run of six more birdies and a nine-under-par 62.

Kim currently stands tied at fifth with fan favorite Akshay Bhatia. Bhatia played a very solid round of golf, including an eagle at 13 to finish with a four-under-par round.

Bhatia also made sure to stay out of trouble, very noticeably playing it safe on many shots. The 24-year-old pro did not record a single hole above par, marking consistency as his key to winning.

“You just have to be really patient,” Bhatia said post-round about golf’s challenges. “It’s just not a perfect game. You just wait for good things to happen … I hit some really nice shots.”

The cut line to make it into the weekend finally finished at a 1-under-par, eliminating many fan favorites from the tournament.

The most famous right now, Brooks Koepka, finished his round at a 2-under-par, but had a lackluster first day to add. Koepka had three birdies on the front nine, establishing a rhythm and momentum heading into the turn.

On the back, Koepka lost the rhythm, tallying two bogeys on holes two and nine. The PGA returner from LIV struggled with many bad tee shots and failed to capitalize enough on the course.

Jordan Spieth, the third member of the Scheffler and Gotterup group, also failed to make the cut. 

The 13-time professional winner started his round with a bogey, which was the start of a lackluster round. 

On hole 17, Spieth aggressively chipped onto the green, aiming for the flag. As the ball had no backspin on it, it rolled into the water off the back, causing a double bogey in the scorebook.

New contenders, special groupings, and plenty of drama await the start of the weekend, Saturday morning. As two Japanese golfers stand at the top, plenty of big names could have an incredible round and shake things up — just like today.

“I absolutely dream of playing (with him), especially in Phoenix,” Hisatsune said about the possibility of being grouped with Matsuyama.