Zozo Championship 2021 R2
October 21-24
Accordia Golf Narashino CC, Chiba, Japan
$9,950,000
Round 1, Round 3, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama made the best of the cold and rainy conditions to close with a 68 and takes a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the Zozo Championship.

Zozo Championship 2021 R2

"It wasn't a perfect round, but I played well. I'm happy with it.

"It's not often that we play in rain and cold at the same time, but I'm happy with the round and it was a good day."

Zozo Championship 2021 R2

He started the day one shot behind overnight leader and compatriot Hiroshi Iwata and produced three birdies and a bogey on Friday to reach 8-under.

"I'm in a good position," said Matsuyama. "Looking forward to the weekend and do my best."

Zozo Championship 2021 R2

American Cameron Tringale closed with a birdie for a 66 and takes second at 7-under.

"Well, it was cold on the first hole and rainy on the last hole," said Tringale, "but I produced a steady round of golf really. I kept it in front of me, I hit a lot of good iron shots. The course played really long in this cold weather and being so wet. Just made some nice swings with my irons and kind of left myself in the right positions on these greens and was able to make a few putts. That was the day."

Zozo Championship 2021 R2

One shot behind at 6-under are England's Matt Wallace (69), American Brendan Steele (68) and Chile's Joaquin Niemann who followed up his opening 64 with a 71 after making four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 17th.

"Very pleased," said Wallace. "It was a tough day, difficult to really -- more for the swing and the shots. We're hitting some drivers, especially on the 10th, you think you can hit it 260 but it goes 240 and you'd never think that after a good strike, so it was difficult to gauge how far the ball was going to go. It was cold, wet, greens are soft and a bit slower. It was just a tough day, but the finish was really important and it was nice."

Iwata, who opened with a 63, dropped down into a share of seventh place after making two birdies for three bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 4th for a 73.

Zozo Championship 2021 R2