Matsuyama prevails at Riviera with historic 62, turns into Asia’s most prolific PGA Tour winner

The dialog started seven years in the past when Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama gained his fourth PGA Tour title to move Shigeki Maruyama, his mentor. Maruyama instructed him the final word mark was 9 tour wins, a report for many by an Asian-born participant.

Matsuyama had little motive to consider that may come Sunday at Riviera.

Six pictures behind to start out the ultimate spherical of the Genesis Invitational, Matsuyama delivered a report efficiency — 9-under 62, the bottom closing spherical by a winner at Riviera — to realize the report that actually mattered.

He now has 9 PGA Tour wins, one higher than Ok.J. Choi of South Korea.

“Reaching 9 wins was one in all my massive targets, passing Ok.J. Choi,” Matsuyama mentioned after his three-shot victory. “After my eighth win, I have been battling my again harm. There have been plenty of occasions the place I felt I used to be by no means going to win once more. I struggled reaching to high 10, however I am actually blissful that I used to be in a position to win as we speak.”

This was an beautiful efficiency, second solely to his 61 within the remaining spherical at Firestone in 2017 on a day nobody else shot decrease than 65.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., fired a 6-under 65 to maneuver right into a tie for fourth.

Adam Svensson (70) of Surrey, B.C., tied for tenth. Corey Conners (74) of Listowel, Ont., was in a bunch tied for twenty fourth, Mackenzie Hughes (74) of Dundas, Ont., tied for thirty first and Nick Taylor (74) of Abbotsford tied for thirty ninth.

Matsuyama was a part of a five-way tie for the lead on the again 9 till he hit a fantastic 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.

“Excellent shot,” he mentioned.

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 6 inches from the cup for one more birdie. He added a 3rd straight birdie with a chip down the slope on the par-5 seventeenth to only over three ft.

Matsuyama calmly pumped his fist — a uncommon present of emotion for him — when his four-foot par putt with a pointy right-to-left break dropped in for a 62.

The one downer for Matsuyama was not with 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 on this match was one in all my targets ever since I grew to become professional,” Matsuyama mentioned. “After Tiger grew to become the host, that objective grew to become quite a bit greater. A bit disenchanted that I wasn’t in a position to take an image with Tiger as we speak.”

Matsuyama completed at 17-under 267 for a three-shot victory over Will Zalatoris (69) and Luke Checklist (68). Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, greatest buddies enjoying within the remaining group, pale in the midst of the again 9 and tied for fourth.

“As soon as I noticed Hideki ending at 17 below, it was a little bit of a deflater, I am certain for the remainder of the sector,” Schauffele mentioned. “However hats off to him. It is unimaginable. He is executed it a number of occasions now, capturing lights out on Sunday.”

It was the third time Matsuyama shot 63 or decrease on Sunday to win, most just lately on 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 report.

Cantlay hit solely 4 fairways and 9 greens. He missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the straightforward opening par 5 after which did not have one other take a 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 acquired again within the combine with a tricky 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 on the finish for a 70.

Checklist 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.

After which Matsuyama took over with three straight birdies.

“The second shot on 15 was in all probability one of the best shot I had,” he mentioned by means 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 high 10s worldwide throughout that stretch and fell out of the highest 50 on this planet.

“Ever since that harm, I used to be fearful each week one thing unhealthy would possibly occur,” Matsuyama mentioned. “This week I had no problem. I performed with none worries. That basically helped.”

The win was price $4 million US from the $20 million purse and strikes him to No. 20 on this 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 Problem, additionally hosted by Woods. No less than he has an image from that day.