Aug 19 (abc.net.au) - Japan's Hideki Matsuyama survived a shaky back nine to shoot even-par 70 on Sunday at the St Jude Championship and win the opening leg of the PGA Tour's season-ending play-offs at TPC Southwind.
Matsuyama finished at 17-under 263, two strokes better than world number two Xander Schauffele (63) and defending Tour champion Viktor Hovland of Norway (66). Matsuyama used back-to-back birdies at holes 17 and 18 to secure the victory.
World number one Scottie Scheffler (66) finished alone in fourth at 14-under 266.
Matsuyama, the bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics, carried a five-stroke lead into Sunday — the largest 54-hole advantage of his career — but he faltered down the stretch. After playing his first 11 holes at 2 under, he came unravelled. He endured a bogey-par-bogey-double bogey stretch from holes 12-15 to allow Schauffele and Hovland to briefly pass him.
But Matsuyama recovered with a clutch 26-foot birdie putt on 17 and a 6-footer at 18, the toughest hole on the course. ...continue reading
