WASHINGTON: Hideki Matsuyama survived a back nine near-collapse to recover and win the PGA Tour’s St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Sunday.
The 32-year-old from Japan began the day with a five shot lead and was two-under for his round until he got into trouble with bogeys on the 12th and 14th and then a double bogey on the par-4 15th.
That allowed Xander Schauffele, who had started the day nine shots off the lead, and Norway’s Viktor Hovland to join in him in a three-way share of the lead on 15-under.
But with a possible three-way playoff or even worse looming for Matsuyama, he rediscovered his touch in the nick of time.
He sank a 26-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th to regain the lead and, with his rivals already in the clubhouse, needed just a par on the 18th to clinch the first of the three events that make up the FedEx Cup playoffs.
There was no sign of nerves, however, as he attacked the par-4 final hole, making birdie to end on 17-under with Schauffele and Hovland tied second.
“After the 14th hole, I was still two up, but I knew Viktor and Xander were playing 15, 16 ahead of me. I figured they would both get to 16-under. So when I was playing the 16th hole and looked at the scoreboard, sure enough, they were both at 16-under and I was a stroke back,” said Matsuyama.
“I felt today’s victory slipping away at that point because 17 and 18 are difficult holes enough, let alone to birdie them.
“But I was fortunate enough to birdie 17. Immediately I thought, oh, man, this is going to be a tough tee shot at 18. I’ve got to keep it in the fairway. I’m grateful I was able to do it,” he said.
The win was the 10th on the PGA Tour for Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters winner, and his second this season following his victory at the Genesis Invitational in California in February.
Matsuyama had to play this week with a stand-in caddie after his regular bag carrier had his passport stolen in London in a theft which also saw the golfer’s wallet stolen.
Schauffele, who triumphed in the PGA Championship and the British Open this year, was bogey free for his seven-under round of 63.
Hovland, who shot 66, got himself in real contention with birdies on the 15th and 16th but then made bogey on the 17th.
The playoff field will be cut to 50 for next week’s BMW Championship at Castle Rock, Colorado and then slimmed down further to 30 for the final event, the Tour Championship in Atlanta starting on August 29.
Scottie Scheffler is the current leader of the playoff standings with Schauffele second and Matsuyama projected to move up to third with this win.
Nick Dunlap, the 20-year-old American who turned professional in January afer winning The American Express tournament in California, pushed himself into the top-50 after finishing tied for fifth.
Matsuyama survives wobble to clinch St. Jude Championship
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Matsuyama survives wobble to clinch St. Jude Championship
- The win was the 10th on the PGA Tour for Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters winner, and his second this season following his victory at the Genesis Invitational in California in February
Tiger Woods opens door to Masters return, US Ryder Cup captaincy
- Woods said Tuesday afternoon at the site of the Genesis Invitational at Rivera Country Club he wouldn’t rule out returning for the 2026 Masters in April
LOS ANGELES: Undaunted following a milestone birthday and a trio of recent major physical setbacks that have limited his tournament schedule to a trickle, Tiger Woods believes he has plenty of game left.
Woods said Tuesday afternoon at the site of the Genesis Invitational at Rivera Country Club he wouldn’t rule out returning for the 2026 Masters in April.
“I’m trying. Put it that way,” the 50-year-old Woods said. “The disc replacement has been one thing. It’s been a challenge to — I’ve had a fused back and now a disc replacement, so it’s challenging.
“And now, I entered a new decade, so that number is starting to sink in and has us thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart. That’s something that, as I said, I won’t do out here on (in PGA Tour events) because I don’t believe in it. But on the Champions Tour, that’s certainly (an) opportunity.”
In reality, Woods might be too busy to play tournament golf these days.
As the chair of the new Future Competitions Committee, Woods is heavily involved in what will be a new-look PGA Tour as early as the 2027 season, with a full roll out aimed for 2028. He revealed on Tuesday he was asked about his interest in being the United States captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup.
“Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven’t made my decision yet,” Woods said of the Ryder Cup showdown against Europe that is set to be played in Ireland. “I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour.
“That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time.”
This week, Woods’ main focus will be to welcome the field to the Genesis Invitational where he is the tournament host. While Riviera was the site of his first ever PGA Tour event, on a sponsor’s exemption at the Los Angeles Open in 1992 when he was 16, the Southern California native will not be playing this week.
But still could be on the course soon.
As for Augusta National, the 15-time major winner was asked if participating in the Masters was ruled out, Woods said “No.”
Future changes to the PGA Tour are not expected to move the Masters off its traditional spring window, but Woods said a myriad of other options are being considered. The plan essentially will create a shorter tournament calendar while still improving the product.
“Yeah, we’re going to get more top players playing and we’re going to make it more competitive,” Woods said. .”.. Having Brooks (Koepka) come back, having Patrick Reed play as well as he is and committed to coming back to the tour, having Scottie (Scheffler) as dominant as he has been, and to have Rory (McIlroy) complete the career grand slam, you have a lot of top players, but also you have a lot of youth that has come up.”
The current West Coast swing, which is the traditional start to the PGA Tour season, might cease to exist or be completely altered. Instead of starting the PGA Tour season in January, reports have indicated future seasons could start after the Super Bowl.
“Well, I think it’s trying to serve literally everyone, from the player side of it, from our media partners, from all of our title sponsors, from the local communities or even changing venues and going to bigger markets,” Woods said. “It’s what do we need to do from a competitive model to make our tour the best product it can possibly be each and every year and still have room for development. How do we do all of that at the same time?“
This week’s tournament in the Los Angeles area could remain in its February window or move toward the end of the season in August and be a playoff venue.
“It’s been a lot of moving parts, but it’s been in sync,” Woods said. “We’ve had a lot of information thrown our way, which has been great. Everyone is working collaboratively together.”
Woods could even be a part of that future schedule as a player. He still has physical limitations from the shattered right leg that happened during a single-car crash in 2021, followed by an Achilles injury and disc replacement surgery in his back this past October.
Given his physical ailments, playing on the Champions Tour, which allows players to use a golf cart, is under consideration. Woods turned 50 just over a month ago, making him eligible for the Champions Tour.
“I’ve had a fused back and now a disc replacement, so it’s challenging,” Woods said. “And I entered a new decade, so that number is starting to sink in and has us thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart. That’s something that, as I said, I won’t do out here on this tour because I don’t believe in it. But on the Champions Tour, that’s certainly that opportunity.”
He had no timetable on when a Champions Tour debut might take place. Woods is more content with turning back the clock this week.
“For me, that’s part of the neat thing about being here at (Riviera), being able to go back in time as a kid,” Woods said.
