Matsuyama Sets 72-Hole PGA Record To Capture Sentry Title

2025-01-07 03:09:29

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) AFP

Los Angeles: Hideki Matsuyama (pictured) broke the 72-hole PGA Tour tournament scoring record, firing an eight-under par 65 to finish on 35-under par 257 and win the Sentry tournament.

The 32-year-old Japanese star outdueled American Collin Morikawa to capture his 20th worldwide title and 11th PGA Tour victory in the 2025 season opener.

Matsuyama sank an eight-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole at the Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii, to take the low-par mark for four rounds.

Australian Cameron Smith had owned the PGA Tour all-time low tournament record with a 34-under 258 on the same layout in 2022.

Needing a birdie at the last for the record, and with a secure lead over Morikawa, Matsuyama chipped his third from just off the green, then rolled his final putt straight into the hole, allowing himself a right fist pump of celebration.

Matsuyama, who took a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, won for the third time in 12 months after titles at Riviera and Memphis last year.

Sixth-ranked Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, battled fourth-ranked Morikawa, a two-time major winner, over the back nine but stayed ahead the whole way, his lead wavering between two and four shots.

Matsuyama sank a birdie putt from just beyond 30 feet at the par-3 11th to reach 32-under but Morikawa matched him from 11 feet to stay three adrift.

Matsuyama rolled in a birdie putt from just outside 21 feet at the 12th, boosting his lead to 4 strokes.

Morikawa cut the gap with a birdie from seven feet at the 14th and reached the green in two at the par-5 15th to set up a tap-in birdie that pulled him within two.

Matsuyama, landed his approach inside four feet at the 16th and sank the birdie putt to reach 34-under and stretch his edge back to three strokes, setting up his dramatic finish.

Morikawa closed with a birdie to shoot 67 and finish second on 260, settling for his sixth consecutive top-seven finish and second runner-up trophy in three years.

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