Sports

Matsuyama Hideki clinches 11th career victory in PGA Tour opener

Jan 07 (News On Japan) - Japanese golfer Matsuyama Hideki clinched his 11th career PGA Tour victory at the season-opening event on Sunday in the US state of Hawaii. Matsuyama finished with a PGA Tour record total of 35-under par.

The season opener featured 59 players, including Matsuyama, who won two PGA events last year and a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Matsuyama started the final round at the top, one stroke ahead of the runner-up.

On the par-four third hole, Matsuyama made an accurate second shot from more than 100 yards away to sink an eagle. He followed that with consecutive birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.

Matsuyama made one eagle, seven birdies and one bogey, improving his score by eight strokes in the final round, for an overall total of 35-under.

US golfer Collin Morikawa came in second with 32-under par.

Matsuyama's score of 35-under par for 72 holes broke the PGA Tour record of 34-under set by Cameron Smith in 2022. It is the best score in PGA Tour history since 1983, when comparable data became available.

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