Japanese superstar Hideki Matsuyama with the tournament trophy in Kapalua, Hawaii, on Sunday after winning The Sentry event for his 11th Tour title. Image courtesy PGA Tour/Getty Images.
By Rahul Banerji
Hideki Matsuyama’s hole out for eagle from 107 yards on the par-4 third hole perfectly encapsulated his dominant victory at the season-opening The Sentry tournament in Hawaii on Sunday.
The Japanese star was unstoppable on his way to an 11th title in the course of which he shot 35 birdies or better in compiling a record-setting 35 under par 257, three strokes better than runner-up Collin Morikawa (66-65-62-67, 32 under 260).
It was a dominant march victory at the $20 million Signature event and got Matsuyama’s season off to the best start possible as his total – boosted by a closing 8-under 65 – set up a new 72-hole scoring record in relation to par, the PGA Tour said.
Matsuyama (65-65-62-65), who won twice in 2024 to go past South Korean K.J. Choi of South Korea as the most successful Asian on the Tour also rewrote the record for birdies scored through the week, improving the 34 shared by Cameron Smith and Korea’s Sungjae Im by one.
Im made it a week to remember for Asian golf by taking solo third place for his fourth top-10 in five starts at The Sentry after he closed with a bogey-free 65 to finish six shots behind Matsuyama at the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii.
Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas was fourth on 25 under 267 while Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, Canada’s Corey Connors and Belgian Thomas Detry shared fifth place on 24 under 268s.
Best shot
Morikawa was left wondering what more he could have done to haul in the 32-year-old from Ehire, Japan, who led from the second day onwards. It was the American star’s 10th runner-up finish from 122 Tour starts.
“Thirty-five under par is, that’s low,” Morikawa said later on the PGA Tour website.
“I mean, he (Matsuyama) was matching me yesterday shot for shot, and I felt like I was playing lights out, right? … Today he just never let up. Then you get to the third hole and the guy holes it. I just knew I had to be on top of everything.
“There was a good handful (of shots) that I wish I could have back. When you don’t get it done, that’s where your mind goes to.
“I know there is a lot of positives, and it’s going to take me a few hours or a day to get over it. … We’re going to go on a roll pretty soon, it’s just hopefully sooner rather than later.”
“I knew Collin was going to play good, so ‘hey I’m going to shoot 10-under today’, was the attitude I had,” said Matsuyama, who earned 700 FedEx Cup points and $3.6 million.
“That last putt, it felt like if I make it, it’ll give me the record. I’m so happy that it went in,” added the Japanese star.
Korea’s Sungjae Im made it a solid Sunday for Asian golf in Hawaii with sole third place at the $20 million event. Image courtesy PGA Tour/Getty Images.
Leading by one over Morikawa into the final round after both had shot 62s on Saturday, Matsuyama holed out a wedge shot from just over 100 yards for a sensational eagle on the par-4, third hole.
Morikawa, chasing a seventh career win, then applied pressure with birdies on 10 and 11, but the Japanese ace responded with birdies of his own on 11 and 12 to maintain his advantage before going on to complete a Hawaiian double after his 2022 Sony Open title.
Crowd signal
“On the 3rd hole, 105 yards, I thought, Oh, I hit a good one. I knew it was going to be right there for a birdie, but then I heard the crowd, so I knew that it went in.
“Definitely happy that it did. It was a delicate touch shot and I was able to make a great shot there,” said Matsuyama, who starts the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu on Thursday.
Matsuyama’s third victory since March last year lifts him to fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking though his career best was no. 2 in 2017.
“September, November, December, I really didn’t get to play too much golf, so I kind of forgot about the last two, so I think this is kind of the beginning,” he said.
“I have goals within myself, and I’m not going to say it right here, but there are unfinished business that I have set for myself that I still am striving to get to.”
Two-time Tour winner Im sank eight birdies for another bogey-free card as he recorded his lowest four-day score at Kapalua with 29-under. “I feel great. It was a decent finish for the first event and I hope it continues,” said the 26-year-old.
“I think I will take next week off and play from Palm Springs. I need to try to step it up, step by step as this season continues on.
“My last win was about three years ago. I wish to win again this season but winning is not that easy here. There are a lot of skilled players as well as young and new players who has potential. I am going to try my best.”
Also read: Matsuyama, Morikawa locked in a tight battle at The Sentry
Discover more from Tee Time Tales
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.