Hideki Matsuyama, behind a historic PGA Tour rating, wins Sentry occasion

Hideki Matsuyama, after ripping aside the Plantation Course at Kapalua by three rounds, was requested by a reporter what he felt was one of the best a part of his sport, and he murmured to the translator standing to his left. He’d mentioned he wasn’t positive. Modest, as all the time. He wasn’t going to tout. 

Then once more, he additionally would possibly’ve simply had a tough time choosing.  

On the tee? Verify. Away from the tee? Verify. Across the inexperienced? Verify. On the inexperienced? Verify. Consistency? Over 54 holes, sure, however Sunday, through the remaining spherical of the Sentry occasion, the PGA Tour’s season-opener, would settle that.

Verify. One by 18, it was extra of the identical, masterfully so. And traditionally so. Matsuyama peeled off seven birdies and one eagle for a spherical of eight-under 65 and a event complete of 35-under, giving him a three-shot win over Collin Morikawa and a PGA Tour file, by one, for the bottom 72-hole rating in relation to par. It additionally marked his eleventh profession Tour win.  

Sunday, like Thursday, Friday and Saturday, showcased Matsuyama’s bag-wide experience once more. What did you really feel was one of the best half? The birdies on 5, 8, 9, 11 and 12? These had been good. The circles on 8, 11 and 12 all got here on putts 20 toes or longer. Or did you just like the hole-out on 5 extra? It got here from 107 yards out, and Matsuyama ooh’ed on that one.

Or did you favor the motion on 16? There, he was feeling the warmth. There, he basically received the event. After Morikawa had pulled inside two photographs on 15, Matsuyama blasted a drive down the proper facet of the golf green, dropped a wedge to 4 toes and birdied, restoring a three-shot benefit. From there, he parred 17 and birdied 18 for the file. 

On the finish, he fist-pumped. 

You’d seemingly get no argument from even him that that was one of the best a part of his week. 

The takeaway

Matsuyama appears to be like dialed in. A 12 months of him and Scottie Scheffler enjoying darts could be enjoyable, wouldn’t it? 

The leaderboard breakdown

— Hideki Matsuyama begins the ultimate spherical with a one-shot lead. Matsuyama is at 27-under, Collin Morikawa is at 26-under, Thomas Detry is at 22-under, and Sungjae Im is at 21-under. 

— Matsuyama eagles the 417-yard, par-4 2nd by holing out from 107 yards out, and his lead grows to 2. Matsuyama is at 29-under, Morikawa is at 27-under, and Im is at 22-under. 

— Matsuyama bogeys the 532-yard, par-4 seventh after lacking the inexperienced along with his second shot, and Matsuyama’s lead drops again to a few. Matsuyama is at 29-under, Morikawa is at 26-under, and Im is at 23-under. 

— Matsuyama and Morikawa every birdie the 185-yard, par-3 eighth — Matsuyama on a 20-foot putt, and Morikawa on a 14-footer — and Matsuyama’s lead stays at three strokes. Matsuyama is at 30-under, Morikawa is at 27-under, and Im is at 23-under. 

— Matsuyama birdies the 545-yard, par-5 ninth on an 8-footer, and his lead grows to 4. Matsuyama is at 31-under, Morikawa is at 27-under, and Im is at 25-under. 

— Morikawa birdies the 377-yard, par-4 tenth on a 10-footer, and he pulls inside three of the lead. Matsuyama is at 31-under, Morikawa is at 28-under, and Im is at 25-under. 

— Matsuyama and Morikawa every birdie the 167-yard, par-3 eleventh — Matsuyama on a 30-footer, and Morikawa on an 11-footer — and Matsuyama’s lead stays at three. Matsuyama is at 32-under, Morikawa is at 29-under, and Im is at 25-under. 

— Matsuyama birdies the 429-yard, par-4 twelfth on a 21-footer, and his lead grows to 4. Matsuyama is at 33-under, Morikawa is at 29-under, and Im is at 25-under.  

— Morikawa birdies the 297-yard, par-4 14th on a 6-footer, and he pulls inside three. Matsuyama is at 33-under, and Morikawa is at 30-under.