Matsuyama, McCarthy tied for lead in opening PGA Tour playoff event
Hideki Matsuyama and Denny McCarthy are tied for the lead going into the weekend at the FedEx St. Jude Championship
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama and Denny McCarthy combined to make nearly 300 feet of putts Friday, so it was no surprise to see them sharing the lead going into the steamy weekend of the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Matsuyama recovered from a shaky start — he missed a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 2 and put his tee shot into the water on the par-3 fourth — with two long birdie putts and a 3-wood to about 12 feet on the par-5 16th for one of his easier birdies. He had a 6-under 64.
McCarthy, with a reputation for a smooth putting stroke, put that to good use on the smooth greens of TPC Southwind. He holed three birdie putts from about 25 feet or longer to offset a pair of bogeys in his round of 63.
They were at 11-under 129, one shot ahead of another great putter, Sam Burns, shot 29 on the front nine before cooling slightly. He had a 63.
