Leader for 36 holes, Hideki Matsuyama held firm this Sunday in Chiba (Japan) and achieved historic success at the ZOZO Championship. At -15 (265), he indeed becomes the first Japanese golfer to win on his land in a tournament stamped PGA Tour. This is his seventh success, the first since the Masters last April. Americans Cameron Tringale and Brendan Steele finish five shots behind!
He held on! Leader with only a small point ahead on the American Cameron Tringale at the start of this 4th and last lap of the ZOZO Championship, Hideki Matsuyama was able to manage his emotions in front of his audience here in Chiba (Japan). Author of an eagle at 6 on a long distance laser putt then a bogey at 8 forcing him to see his main opponent, the same Tringale, come back to his height after two birdies at holes 6 and 9, the Japanese did not was ultimately never deprived.
While in control, he then gradually regained the upper hand by lining up three birdies from 11 to 15, giving himself a little air with a small mattress of two points in advance. A gap that will ultimately never be filled by the competition, despite a bogey at 17 after having flied the green. Better, as a great champion, he ended his week on his land with a masterful eagle on the par 5 of the 18, offering himself the card of the day (with the American Keegan Bradley). A 65 (-5) which gives him at the finish five steps ahead of Brendan Steele (66) and Cameron Tringale (69 including two bogeys to finish).
Eagle on 18 to win by FIVE.
Hideki Matsuyama seals the victory with an emphatic finish @ZOZOChamp. pic.twitter.com/jBMGZUAOB9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 24, 2021
This is the first success of Hideki Matsuyama at home in Japan in a stamped tournament PGA Tour. The ninth in the land of the rising sun. At the age of 29, he above all consolidates a little more his status as a living god born last April after becoming the first Japanese golfer to win in a Golf Major. It was obviously at Masters !
He also won a Grand Slam (twice already at just 24 years old), Collin Morikawa, No. 3 in the world, failed to thwart the aims of the 2021 winner of the ZOZO Championship. A card of 69 (-1) thanks to a final birdie on the 18 allows him to just finish in the top 10, in seventh place at -5. Ten points from Matsuyama!
The leaderboard
Photo : Getty Images
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