Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama survived a shaky again 9 to shoot an even-par 70 Sunday on the FedEx St. Jude Championship and win the opening leg of the PGA Tour’s season-ending playoffs at TPC Southwind.
Matsuyama completed at 17-under 263, two strokes higher than World No. 2 Xander Schauffele (63) and defending FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland of Norway (66). Matsuyama used back-to-back birdies at Nos. 17 and 18 to safe the victory.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (66) completed alone in fourth at 14-under 266.
Matsuyama, the bronze medalist on the Paris Olympics, carried a five-stroke lead into Sunday — the biggest 54-hole benefit of his profession — however he faltered down the stretch. After taking part in his first 11 holes at 2 below, he got here unravelled. He endured a bogey-par-bogey-double bogey stretch from Nos. 12-15 to permit Schauffele and Hovland to briefly move him.
However Matsuyama recovered with a clutch 26-foot birdie putt on 17 and a 6-footer at 18, the hardest gap on the course.
Hovland had back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16 to get to 16 below par and surpass Matsuyama, who loved a five-stroke lead on the flip.
Schauffele was at 8 below — 9 strokes behind Matsuyama — to start the spherical. He made a cost with a bogey-free spherical and almost chipped in off the inexperienced on 18 to make the ultimate gap harder for Matsuyama. Schauffele’s chip from 75 toes struck the flag.
“It was a head-down day, simply hit as many good pictures as you’ll be able to,” Schauffele mentioned. “You’re thus far again (to start out).”
Matsuyama earned the tenth PGA Tour title of his profession. It got here after a pre-tournament theft in London that left him with out his caddie and coach, who misplaced their passports within the theft and needed to return to Japan. Matsuyama was compelled to make use of a substitute caddie.
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Coming into Sunday Matsuyama had 13 consecutive rounds of par or higher at Southwind, a streak he narrowly prolonged.
Schauffele made an early run up the leaderboard and stored the stress on. Beginning the spherical 9 strokes again, Schauffele birdied 4 of the primary six holes and moved in a tie for second at 12 below.
On the flip, Matsuyama had the five-stroke benefit he started with, needing solely a 38-foot birdie putt on No. 8 to take care of the large cushion. Matsuyama parred the opposite eight holes on the entrance facet and was at 18 below.
Hovland and rookie Nick Dunlap had been the closest to Matsuyama on the flip, every at 13 below par. Hovland had back-to-back birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to maneuver into second place.
When Schauffele and Hovland received inside 4 strokes early on the again 9, Matsuyama calmly sank one other birdie putt, a 19-footer on No. 11, to go to 19 below. Schauffele, together with his sixth birdie by 13 holes, had moved to 14 below earlier than Matsuyama’s putt.
Then the struggles started for Matsuyama.
The opening event of the season-ending playoffs featured the highest 70 within the FedEx Cup factors standings. The highest 50 within the standings advance to the following spherical, the BMW Championship at Fort Pines Golf Membership in Colorado. Dunlap certified with a par on 18, finishing his transfer from No. 67 within the standings to No. 48.
The Tour Championship will probably be performed Labor Day weekend at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta.
Those that completed Sunday ranked within the high 50 not solely transfer on to Colorado however are eligible for every of the eight PGA Tour signature occasion in 2025.