KAWAGOE, Japan: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan "can't believe" that he could be on the brink of winning Tokyo 2020 golfing gold after contracting coronavirus only four weeks ago.
The US Masters champion returned a positive Covid-19 test on July 3 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, forcing him to pull out and then miss the British Open a fortnight ago.
He feared his dream of playing and winning a medal at a home Olympics might be gone and admitted he hadn't fully recovered his fitness after being tired at the end of his first round of 69 at The Kasumigaseki Country Club on Thursday.
But on Friday he bounced back with a brilliant 64 on the par-71 course, where he won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2010, and will tee off in the final group on Sunday with Xander Schauffele and Paul Casey after a 67 on Saturday.
"I definitely could not have believed I would be playing the final group with a chance to win after having Covid," Matsuyama told reporters after finishing his third round a shot behind leader Schauffele.
"To be honest, the endurance part of my game has been struggling a little bit. Thankfully it's held up the last few days, so hopefully it's going to hold up tomorrow as well."
Schauffele said you wouldn't have known Matsuyama had suffered from coronavirus after playing alongside him on Saturday.
"He seems to be fine," said Schauffele, who leads on 14-under-par 199 after a third-round 68.
"I forgot that he had Covid, but teeing it up out here he seemed strong, seems normal and seems himself. So luckily he wasn't hit too hard by it."
Schauffele was in the final group with Matsuyama when he won at Augusta National in April and said Japan's number one was playing better then, but would still be a big threat when the two battle for Olympic glory.
"He obviously was firing on a lot of cylinders when he won the Masters," said Schauffele.
"I think he's maybe not as in his realm of perfection, maybe he's not hitting it as good as he would like to, but he's only one (shot) back."
Asia's first US Masters champion is revered in Japan and -- under huge pressure to deliver gold -- would normally be followed by huge galleries.
But even with no spectators at these Olympics, Matsuyama still had every birdie putt roared on by hundreds of Japanese volunteers and support staff.
"It does not feel like we don't have fans out here," he said.
Japan’s Matsuyama ‘can’t believe’ gold in sight after Covid scare
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Japan’s Matsuyama ‘can’t believe’ gold in sight after Covid scare
- Schauffele said you wouldn't have known Matsuyama had suffered from coronavirus after playing alongside him on Saturday
Nemkov and Cyborg crowned PFL world champions in Lyon
- Rising stars of MMA on show at landmark event that highlights sport’s global ambitions
- Brazilian veteran Cyborg cements status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history
LYON: Two new Professional Fighters League world champions were crowned on Saturday night as Vadim Nemkov and Cris Cyborg headlined a landmark PFL Lyon event at the LDLC Arena, which also saw the emergence of Europe’s next wave of MMA talent.
Russia’s Nemkov closed out his 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, becoming the inaugural PFL Heavyweight World Champion with a first-round submission victory over Brazil’s Renan Ferreira. Nemkov (20-2) secured an arm-triangle choke at the four-minute mark of the opening round, neutralizing the size and power of the Brazilian to firmly establish himself at the top of the heavyweight division heading into 2026.
In the co-main event, Cyborg added another accolade to her decorated career by capturing the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship. The Brazilian veteran (29-2, 1 NC) defeated previously unbeaten Sara Collins (6-1) via rear-naked choke in the third round, further cementing her status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history. Cyborg later indicated that she intends to have one final MMA bout before calling time on her career.
The Lyon crowd was treated to a series of standout performances beyond the title fights. Belgian prospect Patrick Habirora continued his rapid rise with a first-round knockout of Kevin Jousset, preserving his perfect professional record at 8-0. Habirora’s explosive finish sent the arena into celebration and underlined his growing reputation as one of Europe’s most promising young fighters.
France’s Taylor Lapilus delivered a composed and technically polished display to earn a unanimous decision victory over England’s Liam Gittins. Lapilus (23-4) controlled the contest over three rounds, reinforcing his credentials as a leading contender in the PFL bantamweight division.
Two PFL Europe titles were also decided on the night. Aleksandr Chizov claimed the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Championship after stopping Connor Hughes with a third-round knockout, capping a consistent campaign marked by resilience and adaptability. Meanwhile, French bantamweight Baris Adiguzel captured the 2025 PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament Championship with a first-round TKO victory over Dean Garnett, imposing his aggressive style from the opening bell.
With four champions crowned and several rising stars making statements on a major stage, PFL Lyon marked a significant moment for the organization’s global and European ambitions.
Full results:
Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira by first-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 4:00)
Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins by third-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:55)
Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset by first-round KO (2:42)
Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett by first-round TKO (0:44)
Boris Atangana def. Guilherme Soares by second-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:35)
Aleksandr Chizov def. Connor Hughes by third-round KO (0:50)
Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov by second-round KO (0:34)
Sabrina de Sousa def. Paulina Wisniewska by split decision
Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor by split decision
