MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hideki Matsuyama could feel the tournament getting away from him, a strange sensation considering he had gone 27 holes bogey-free and had a five-shot lead just an hour earlier.
Even more unlikely is how Sunday ended.
On the brink of collapse, Matsuyama birdied a 25-foot putt on the 17th hole to regain the lead and then hit two shots exactly as he did each day for the final birdie to win the wild PGA Tour postseason opener at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Birdies on the final two holes — among the toughest at TPC Southwind — gave the Japanese star a par 70 and a two-shot victory over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, who thought they were playing for cash and FedEx Cup points. until Matsuyama’s mini-meltdown.
Three-putt bogey on the 12th. Tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th, where Matsuyama escaped with a bogey. Two Chips hit the 15th green and double bogeyed. When he saw the leaderboard on the 16th hole, it confirmed what Matsuyama was afraid of.
“I think today’s victory was lost because 17 and 18 were quite difficult, let alone for birdies,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter.
He birdied for his 10th PGA Tour victory and first FedEx Cup playoff title.
The stakes are suddenly high for everyone in the final hours of a sleepy and steamy tournament. It’s tight at the top, and it’s like tension in the bubble to determine the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup that advance to next week.
How tense?
Consider Nick Dunlap, whose chance to win the tournament required his best drive of the week just to stay in the top 50 and extend the season. He was as clutch as Matsuyama on the 18th tee, closing with a par for 69 to tie for fifth and keep going.
“It’s weird,” Dunlap said. “I left at 17, I tried to attack the pin. I thought I still had a chance to win the golf tournament. Then it didn’t go up and down, then I asked if I was in the bubble or not. It was very stressful.”
Tom Kim looked certain to finish in the top 50 until he finished 6-6-6 on his card to end the season.
Schauffele starts nine shots behind and waits to see if he will make the playoffs. Hovland has a one-shot lead with two holes to play. Scottie Scheffler, who shot 66 and finished fourth, is still in the game on the 17th hole.
Finally, he came to Matsuyama.
The collapse is astonishing. That was the response.
“He just never let it go. That was impressive,” said Dunlap, who played in the final group with Matsuyama. “That’s why he has the green jacket and so much more. It’s always cool for me to watch. He deserves it. He’s been amazing all day.”
Hovland, the defending FedEx Cup champion, entered the postseason at No. Then he had a chance to win, taking the lead with a birdie on the 16th. He bounced back by missing par from a bunker on the 17th and then missing a 9-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 66.
He was runner-up to Schauffele, who shot a bogey-free 63. Hovland moved to No.
But it’s not over yet. The final group on the last hole – the toughest of the day – came: Matsuyama needed a par to win, Dunlap needed a par to move from No. winner of the top 50.
The two split in the middle of the road. Dunlap hit his approach to just outside 20 feet, while Matsuyama hit an 8-iron at the flag, with water on the left side. Located only 6 feet away.
Matsuyama, who finished at 17-under 263, won twice this year. He shot a 62 in the final round to win the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Coming off a bronze medal at the Olympics, his accomplishments were — save for the dreaded four holes — gold.
He won $3.6 million and moved from 8th to 3rd in the FedEx Cup.
It was quite a week for the Japanese star, who had to find a filling-in caddy and was able to work with the coach only by phone. They were all having dinner in London on their way home from the Paris Olympics when someone stole their bags out of sight.
The thief got Matsuyama’s wallet and the passports of his caddy and coach. He must return to Japan and seek a replacement as soon as possible. Matsuyama went on like another week of work and earned his first postseason victory.
Hovland, Dunlap and Eric Cole (No. 54) moved into the top 50. Cole did it in style with a 63, despite a bogey on the closing hole. Dropping out of the top 50 were Kim (No. 43), Mackenzie Hughes (No. 48) and Jake Knapp (No. 50).
Kim was ready to advance until he took two shots to get out of the greenside bunker on the par-5 16th (bogey), two chips to reach the green on the 17th (double bogey) and a tee shot into the water on the 18th (double bogey).
“This season has just … been like this,” Kim said. “I’ve been playing really good golf, then I’ve had some tough finishes. I feel like 2024 has kicked me.”