JGTO Abroad: Hisatsune eases into promising start at Farmers Insurance Open

Ryo Hisatsune is making only his third PGA Tour start this year, but he is convinced that he has already settled down and feels right at home.

Banking on this comfort, the 21-year-old Hisatsune continued his fine start to his rookie campaign by firing an opening seven-under-par 65 at the Farmers Insurance Open on Wednesday.

Hisatsune's brilliant effort at the North Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, featuring eight birdies against a sole bogey, placed him in joint second, trailing pace-setter Kevin Yu of Chinese Taipei by just one shot.

Former Masters Tournament champion Hideki Matsuyama also got off to a flying start, posting a 66 at the North Course to be tied for fourth.

Golfers complete the initial 36 holes by playing on both the North and South Courses. The concluding 36 holes are exclusively played on the South Course, renowned as the more challenging of the two.

This course has hosted the U.S. Open twice, with victories by Tiger Woods in 2008 and Jon Rahm in 2021.

With his sizzling start, Hisatsune is poised to make a strong push for his maiden PGA Tour title. He has already notched two solid top-30 results, finishing tied-30th and tied-11th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and The American Express, respectively.

Having completed a full season on the DP World Tour last year, Hisatsune believes his experience playing abroad has facilitated a swift acclimatization in the US.

In a commendable season, Hisatsune clinched the French Open, earning him the title of DP World Tour Rookie of the Year and securing a tour card on the PGA Tour as one of the top 10 points finishers on the Race to Dubai.

"I feel so comfortable playing in the States," said Hisatsune.

"My strong points are finding the fairway and putting. Playing in different countries on various tours has been a significant learning experience for me.

"Last year on the DP World Tour, I gained insights from diverse landscapes. The PGA TOUR is the top level, the greatest tour. Being aggressive is very important, I think."