The dialog started seven years in the past when Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama gained his fourth PGA Tour title to cross Shigeki Maruyama, his mentor. Maruyama informed him the final word mark was 9 tour wins, a document for most by an Asian-born participant.
Matsuyama had little cause to imagine that will come Sunday at Riviera.
Six pictures behind to start out the ultimate spherical of the Genesis Invitational, Matsuyama delivered a document efficiency — 9-under 62, the bottom closing spherical by a winner at Riviera — to attain the document that actually mattered.
He now has 9 PGA Tour wins, one higher than Ok.J. Choi of South Korea.
“Reaching nine wins was one of my big goals, passing K.J. Choi,” Matsuyama stated after his three-shot victory. “After my eighth win, I’ve been struggling with my back injury. There were a lot of times where I felt I was never going to win again. I struggled reaching to top 10, but I’m really happy that I was able to win today.”
This was an beautiful efficiency, second solely to his 61 within the closing spherical at Firestone in 2017 on a day nobody else shot decrease than 65.
Matsuyama was a part of a five-way tie for the lead on the again 9 till he hit a phenomenal fade with a 6-iron from 187 yards right into a breeze on the robust fifteenth gap that carried the bunker and rolled out to eight inches for a tap-in birdie.
“Perfect shot,” he stated.
On the par-3 sixteenth, he dangled the membership after his tee shot as a result of it was 5 yards proper of the place he had been aiming, solely to see it roll to six inches from the cup for an additional birdie. He added a 3rd straight birdie with a chip down the slope on the par-5 seventeenth to simply over 3 ft.
Matsuyama calmly pumped his fist — a uncommon present of emotion for him — when his 4-foot par putt with a pointy right-to-left break dropped in for a 62.
Doug Tewell shot 63 within the closing spherical to win in 1986, the earlier document.
The solely downer for Matsuyama was not having the ability to pose with Tiger Woods, the match host who needed to withdraw on Friday with a foul case of the flu.
“To win in this tournament was one of my goals ever since I became pro,” Matsuyama stated. “After Tiger became the host, that goal became a lot bigger. A little disappointed that I wasn’t able to take a picture with Tiger today.”
Matsuyama completed at 17-under 267 for a three-shot victory over Will Zalatoris (69) and Luke List (68). Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, greatest associates taking part in within the closing group, pale in the midst of the again 9 and tied for fourth.
“Once I saw Hideki finishing at 17 under, it was a bit of a deflater, I’m sure for the rest of the field,” Schauffele stated. “But hats off to him. It’s incredible. He’s done it a few times now, shooting lights out on Sunday.”
It was the third time Matsuyama shot 63 or decrease on Sunday to win, most just lately at the Sony Open two years in the past. Maruyama despatched him a textual content that day in Hawaii, reminding him of their speak about breaking Choi’s document.
Matsuyama stated profitable by no means entered his thoughts when he arrived to the course Sunday. Cantlay had a two-shot lead and had not taken too many flawed steps. But he was feeling a little bit unwell, and the golf was a battle.
Cantlay hit solely 4 fairways and 9 greens. He missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the simple opening par 5 after which did not have one other look at birdie till the sixth gap. He made a birdie putt from 50 ft on the 18th for a 72.
Cantlay performed with Schauffele, who struggled simply as a lot. Schauffele received again within the combine with a troublesome birdie on the par-4 tenth and holing a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 eleventh. He bogeyed the following three holes and and rallied at the tip for a 70.
List set the early tempo. Zalatoris took the lead in the midst of the again 9. At one level there was a five-way tie for the lead heading to the robust stretch on the again 9 at Riviera.
And then Matsuyama took over with three straight birdies.
“The second shot on 15 was probably the best shot I had,” he stated by way of his interpreter.
Matsuyama had struggled the final two years, beginning with a neck and again harm at Bay Hill in March 2022. He had solely six prime 10s worldwide throughout that stretch and fell out of the highest 50 on the planet.
“Ever since that injury, I was worried every week something bad might happen,” Matsuyama stated. “This week I had no issue. I played without any worries. That really helped.”
The win was price $4 million from the $20 million purse and strikes him to No. 20 on the planet with the complete main season forward of him. Matsuyama now has 18 wins worldwide, eight on the Japan Golf Tour and the unofficial Hero World Challenge, additionally hosted by Woods. At least he has an image from that day.
