Through two rounds, Kitayama is 9 under par and holds a one-shot lead over Keith Mitchell, Brandon Wu, Joseph Bramlett and Hank Lebioda.
Kitayama shot a 2-under-par 70 at Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of three courses in use for the first three days of the tournament.
All players will play one round apiece at Pebble Beach, Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Spyglass Hill Golf Course before a 54-hole cut. The low 60 players and ties will play Pebble Beach in Sunday's final round.
Kitayama began his round with nine pars on the back nine and was even for his round through 14 holes before sinking birdie putts at the par-5 sixth and the par-4 eighth holes.
"Today was really tough," Kitayama said. "Started to really pick up on the back nine. But overall I'm really happy with where I'm at and how I played today."
Kitayama, 30, is a native of Northern California but has spent much of his career overseas. He won twice on the DP World Tour and once on the Asian Tour. His best finish on the PGA Tour came in February 2022, when he wound up third at the Honda Classic.
On Saturday, he will play Spyglass Hill, considered the toughest of the three courses used in the tournament.
"I got to play Spyglass quite a bit (growing up)," Kitayama said. "Not so much here and Monterey. But I've seen it before and definitely feeling a lot more comfortable this time around. It's always nice playing here. It's nice being here."
Lebioda also played Pebble Beach on Friday after taking the first-round lead with an 8-under 63 Thursday at Monterey Peninsula. A messy double bogey at the par-3 fifth and a bogey at the par-4 ninth - Lebioda's final hole - dropped him out of the lead and he finished an even-par 72.
Wu shot a 5-under 66, Bramlett carded a 4-under 67 and Mitchell had a 3-under 68 at Monterey Peninsula. Bramlett had a chip-in eagle at the par-5 sixth.
The round of the day belonged to Ireland's Seamus Power, whose 7-under 64 at Monterey Peninsula featured an eagle, six birdies - including four in a row at Nos. 4-7 - and just one bogey.
That moved Power into a five-player tie for sixth at 7 under.
Australian Aaron Baddeley, who was tied fifth and just two behind the lead after the opening round, carded a horrendous 40 on the opening nine at Pebble Beach before finishing with 74.
He is at four under and is tied 28th, along with former world No.1 Jordan Spieth (71-68) among others.
There was drama earlier when a caddie working for an amateur player competing in the event collapsed on the 11th fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
CPR was performed on him until an ambulance arrived to take him to hospital.
The PGA Tour confirmed the medical emergency and the caddie was not identified.
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