Scottsdale, AZ …

Golf’s hottest golfer Hideki Matsuyama wasted little time in picking up from where he left off a year ago.

The defending Waste Management Phoenix Open champion posted a bogey-free six under par 65 and a year after storming his way to the same first round score of 65 in the 2016 event here at TPC Scottsdale.

It handed the current World No. 5 the clubhouse lead.

Japan’s red-hot Hideki Matsuyama duplicates his first round score of a year ago in shooting a 65 on day one of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Matsuyama, who ended 2016 winning four of his five closing events, was quizzed after his round why he plays so well in Phoenix.

“I wish I knew why I play well here, but I did hit the ball very well today, hit a lot of greens, a lot of good shots,” he said through an interpreter.

“I’m not hitting it and putting it as well as I did in Shanghai, but hopefully throughout the week here I can get to that same level and compete for the win again.

“The best part of my game, I hit a lot of greens today”.

But when it was put to the 24-year old if it was a case of picking up from where he left off, Matsuyama was not all that certain.

“I’m not sure, but I did play well today,” he said.

“Hopefully we can keep it up, and come the weekend we will have a chance to compete.”

Though there was thing Matsuyama was sure of and that is the stature he places the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

“Probably No. 1, because I have had such good success here and played well here,”he said.

And with Matsuyama looking so focused and intent inside the ropes I asked him to comment in relation to an observation Tiger Wood made last week at the Farmers Insurance Open.

I asked:  “Tiger Woods said last week that you don’t get disturbed by anything in the golf course, like even when it’s very beautiful, that you are focused on your  game and yo don’t get disturbed.”

Matsuyama replied: “You know, I’m not sure. You know, I grind. But Tiger is Tiger, and I’m different from him. All of us have our way of getting around the course. All I’m out there doing is trying to do my best.”