Hideki Matsuyama has damaged Australian Cameron Smith’s PGA Tour scoring report with a mind-blowing whole of 35-under par to win the season-opening event, The Sentry in Hawaii.
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The Japanese famous person must birdie the final to interrupt Smith’s earlier mark, which he set on the identical event in 2022 earlier than crossing to LIV, and coolly rolled in an eight-foot putt on the iconic, downhill 678-yard par 5 18th at Kapalua to etch his title into the historical past books.
Seven of the eight lowest 72-holes scores in PGA Tour historical past have come up on the Plantation Course – the earlier high three of Smith (-34), Jon Rahm (-33) and Matt Jones (-32) all got here in 2022 – because the Maui course’s large fairways, downhill holes and comfortable greens favour low scoring when the wind stays away.
The 2021 Masters champion made essentially the most of all these components for a fourth consecutive day with an eight-under par ultimate spherical of 65 to complete three strokes away from American Collin Morikawa, and safe his eleventh PGA Tour win.
Matsuyama has been in some sizzling kind because it was third victory prior to now 12 months and it was arrange by a ridiculous 11-under par third spherical of 62 to match the PGA Tour report for the very best rating after three rounds.
Within the opening two rounds, he fired back-to-back 65s to additionally set the bottom ever 54-round rating on the season-opening occasion at Kapalua.
LEADERBOARD: Last scores
“I knew Collin was going to play good right this moment, so I mentioned ‘hey I’m going to shoot ten-under right this moment’ and that’s the angle I had right this moment,” Matsuyama mentioned post-round.
“That final putt, it felt like if I make it, I knew it was going to be the report and I’m so blissful that it went in.
“I used to be capable of get an incredible off season and get a contemporary begin this week, and play effectively this week so it was an effective way to begin.”
An effective way to begin might be a bit little bit of an understatement.
Matsuyama additionally set the report for essentially the most birdies or a greater in 72-hole PGA Tour occasion, with 35, and he prolonged his lead because the Asian participant with essentially the most PGA Tour victories – he now has three greater than Korean Okay. J. Choi who now performs on the Champions Tour.
The 32-year-old began the ultimate spherical just one shot forward of Morikawa, however he widen his benefit early with a sensational hole-out from the green for eagle on the par 4 third gap.
He then made his first birdie of the day two holes later on the par 5 fifth.
It’s a gap he may most likely play blindfolded as he has remarkably made birdie or higher the final 20 instances he has performed the 520-yard gap which is ranked the simplest on the course.
Matsuyama dropped a shot on the 532-yard par 4 seventh as he missed the inexperienced left and didn’t get up-and-down to avoid wasting par, however he earned that shot again on the very subsequent gap with a birdie on the scenic par 3 eighth the place gamers tee off over an extended canyon.
He then closed out his entrance 9 with one other birdie on the par-5 ninth.
4 extra birdies on the again 9 have saved Morikawa at bay, highlighted by a shocking wedge shot, that just about went within the gap, to arrange a birdie on the sixteenth after Morikawa closed the hole to 2 pictures.
However the American by no means regarded like catching him, and post-round he expressed his disbelief by what he witnessed from his enjoying companion.
“Excuse my language, however f***, 35-under par?” Morikawa advised Golf Channel.
Australian Cam Davis surged up the leaderboard right into a share of fourth at one stage however two late bogeys slipped him again to -22 and a tie for thirteenth.
The 29-year-old shot back-to-back nine-under par 64s within the second and third rounds, and was four-under par for ultimate spherical of 69.
Adam Scott completed one shot again from his compatriot in a tie for fifteenth with a ultimate spherical 70.
Scott’s finest spherical of the week was a 3rd spherical 64, whereas Jason Day completed -14 and in a share of fortieth.