Matsuyama romps to five-stroke victory at Bridgestone

Hideki Matsuyama turned a terrible warm-up into one of the best rounds of his career, matching the course record with a nine-under-par 61 to charge to an emphatic five-stroke victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio on Sunday.

Starting the day two strokes from the lead, Matsuyama never looked back after chipping in for an unlikely 60-foot eagle at the par-five second at Firestone Country Club.


He added seven birdies and turned the final round into a one-man exhibition, offering a timely reminder of why he is likely to become the first Japanese player to win a men's major.

Arriving at the 16th tee, Matsuyama knew he needed to birdie the final three holes to equal the course record held by Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal.

And he responded to the challenge with a series of precise approach shots, completing his closing birdie hat-trick by draining a six-footer at the par-four 18th.

Matsuyama finished at 16-under 264, while American Zach Johnson (68) claimed second on 11 under with his compatriot Charley Hoffman (66) another shot back in third.

“I played with Tiger four years ago when he shot 61 so I knew 61 was the number today,” the Japanese world number three told CBS sports via an interpreter. “I knew if I birdied 16, 17 and 18 I could get there.”

His triumphant finish was a far cry from his pre-round practice session, during which his swing felt completely out-of-synch.

“You wouldn’t have believed how I warmed up this morning,” he said.

“I was not hitting it good on the range. I did hit some good shots (during the round) but I was nervous all the way around because I really wasn’t sure of my swing today.”

It was Matsuyama's second World Golf Championships victory, after the HSBC Champions in Shanghai last year.

The 25-year-old will head to Quail Hollow in North Carolina for the final major of the year, the PGA Championship starting on Thursday, as one of the favourites after top-15 finishes in the previous three majors this year.

Some other big names also will take positive vibes to the PGA Championship, including Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy who tied for fifth at seven-under in his first start with new caddie Harry Diamond.

“We’re working well out there today and I’m excited to be with him again next week,” McIlroy said.

American Jordan Spieth also had a solid week in preparation for a tilt at clinching the career grand slam of all four majors after finishing equal 13th at four-under.

“My game improved each and every day, even though my score didn’t reflect it today so I’m really excited going into Quail Hollow,” Spieth said.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina, editing by Neil Robinson)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Matsuyama out-lasts Simpson for second straight Phoenix crown

LOS ANGELES -- Japan's Hideki Matsuyama won his second straight Phoenix Open title on Sunday, and just like last year he needed a fourth playoff hole to do it.

Matsuyama holed a 12-foot birdie putt at the fourth playoff hole, the par-four 17th at TPC Scottsdale, to edge former US Open champion Webb Simpson.

Simpson's 20-foot birdie attempt to win at the third playoff hole, the par-four 10th, had stopped one roll of the ball short.

Simpson charged up the leaderboard with a seven-under par 64, with birdies at 17 and 18 giving him the clubhouse lead at 17-under 267.

Matsuyama had his chances to seize the win in regulation, but it went to a playoff when his 20-foot putt at the 72nd hole stopped inches short.

He closed with a five-under par 66 to join Simpson on 267, one stroke in front of South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen.

The duo took advantage of the struggles of overnight leader An Byeong-Hun, who started the day with a one-stroke lead over Scotland's Martin Laird but finished with five bogeys and three birdies in a 73 that left him in sixth place on 270.

Rickie Fowler, bested in a playoff by Matsuyama in Phoenix last year, fired a 65 to share fourth with J.J. Spaun (67) on 269.

World number five Matsuyama notched his fifth victory in his last nine starts worldwide, a stretch that included his triumph in the prestigious World Golf Championships HSBC Champions at Shanghai last October.

"It was a struggle, especially that playoff, but I'm really happy to win," he said.

Matsuyama was making his fourth consecutive start in Phoenix and has never finished outside the top five.

He thrives in the rowdy atmosphere of a tournament that attracts mammoth crowds.

Week-long attendance for the tournament this year was estimated at 655,434, by far the most for a golf tournament in history. The previous record of 618,365 was set last year at Phoenix.

With the win, Matsuyama moved atop the USPGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings, surpassing Justin Thomas, who missed the cut. He denied Simpson, the 2012 US Open winner, a first US tour title since 2013.

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McIlroy shakes off rust as Matsuyama storms ahead

Rory McIlroy shook off the rust and regained his putting mojo Friday to climb into contention at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

McIlroy had just 26 putts en route to a 66 after taking 32 on the greens Thursday and moved to seven-under par for the tournament.

"When you miss a few putts it starts to get into your head a little bit, it was just hard," he told AFP after his second round on Friday. "I felt a little more comfortable with it today."

McIlroy's round was eclipsed by runaway leader Hideki Matsuyama who followed his opening 66 with a best-of-the-day 65 that contained nine birdies to open a three-shot advantage on 13-under par.

But Japan's in-form Matsuyama put himself in pole position to the be the first man from the host continent to win "Asia's Major" since it became a WGC event in 2009 with a round that contained nine birdies.

Matsuyama broke into the world's top 10 for the first time following his second place finish behind Justin Thomas in the PGA Tour's CIMB Classic in Malaysia last Sunday and victory at the Japan Open the week before.

He has already proved this year that he is the man for the big occasion by finishing tied seventh at the Masters and tied fourth at the US PGA Championship.

"I haven't really played well here before," Matsuyama told reporters.

"I was a little bit nervous thinking it's not going to be a good week for me. But then I decided, let's just have fun this week. It's made a difference."

- Three-week layoff -

He was one of only a handful of players to master the blustery conditions Friday by playing aggressively and peppering the pins with arrow-straight iron play.

"I thought maybe just a couple under par would be a good score. So I'm really happy with how it ended up today," added the first Japanese player to be ranked in the top 10 since Jumbo Ozaki in April 1998.

Defending champion Russell Knox kept his hopes alive of becoming the first player to record back-to-back WGC-HSBC Champions wins with a 68 Friday to share second place on 10-under par with American Bill Haas, who carded a 67.

McIlroy had a three-week layoff after the Ryder Cup before arriving in Shanghai this week.

"There was definitely some rust in the 71 yesterday. I feel like I've shaken most of that off.

"The green speeds here are so different to what we're used to. They're quite slow this week so it's probably taken me a day or two to get used to that as well."

Despite being six shots off the leader, the world number three believes he is right back in the mix going into the weekend.

"I've been able to come back from six behind with 18 to play, seven behind with 18 to play," said McIlroy.

"So over 36 holes, a lot of things can happen. Hideki is obviously playing very well and he'll be tough to catch.

"But if I can keep that sort of golf going over the next two days, I should have a chance."

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