McCarthy and Matsuyama share lead at St Jude's Championship

American golfer Denny McCarthy and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama are tied for the lead at 11-under par following the second round of the PGA Tour's St. Jude Championship in Memphis on Friday.

Despite dealing with a hip injury, McCarthy delivered an impressive 7-under round of 63, while Matsuyama recorded a score of 64, positioning themselves at the top of the leaderboard as they head into the weekend.

McCarthy, who has yet to secure a victory on the PGA Tour and has faced playoff losses in both the current and previous year, began his round strongly with four birdies in his first six holes, although he did encounter a bogey on the par-4 seventh hole.

He quickly regained momentum with a birdie on the par-3 eighth and demonstrated resilience by responding to a bogey on the 12th with a birdie on the subsequent hole.

"It was a really good round. I executed my game plan effectively. My putting was solid, and I struck many good iron shots. I bounced back well after a couple of bogeys. Overall, everything felt very stable today," he remarked.

McCarthy's achievement is particularly noteworthy considering the hip issues he has been managing.

"I prefer not to go into too much detail. It is indeed a concern, but I have managed to cope over the past few days," he stated.

"The heat is beneficial; it helps to loosen things up. However, I have had to dedicate considerable time both before and after my rounds to ensure I am prepared to play a full round."

Matsuyama began his round with a birdie on the par-4 first hole but subsequently missed a short birdie attempt on the second and recorded a bogey on the par-3 fourth after hitting his drive into the water.

From that point onward, the 2021 Masters champion-maintained control, finishing the round without any further bogeys and adding five more birdies to his scorecard.

Matsuyama is aiming for his 10th victory on the PGA Tour and his second win of the season, following his triumph at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in February.

American golfer Sam Burns finished one stroke behind the leading duo after posting a score of 63, which included an eagle on the par-5 third hole.

Scottie Scheffler, recently crowned Olympic gold medalist in Paris, currently tops the FedEx Cup playoff standings and remains a strong contender with his impressive bogey-free round of 65, bringing his total to nine-under, just two strokes shy of the leaders.

"I managed to execute some effective up-and-downs that helped maintain my momentum throughout the round. I made a crucial par putt early on the fifth hole, followed by a couple of well-placed chips that turned what could have been a challenging par into a much easier one. Overall, it was a solid day," remarked the reigning Masters champion.

England's Justin Rose trails Scheffler by one stroke after delivering a second consecutive round of 66.

Rose concluded his round with flair, securing birdies on the 16th and 17th holes, placing him in a tie for fifth alongside American Nick Dunlap.

In contrast, it was a disappointing outing for Rory McIlroy, who is currently fifth in the FedEx Cup standings. He recorded a three-over 73, which included a double bogey on the par-5 third hole after his drive found the water.