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[ODDS and EVENS] Hideki Matsuyama Savors Victory in the FedEx Cup Opener

After claiming the Olympic bronze medal, Hideki Matsuyama had to adjust with a fill-in caddie at his next tourney. He blew a big lead but recovered to win it.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 23, 2024

Ed Odeven

Hideki Matsuyama holds the winner's trophy after a two-stroke victory in the St Jude Championship, the opening tournament of the FedEx Cup, on August 18, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee. (©KYODO)

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For Hideki Matsuyama, August 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most eventful months in his professional golf career.

The Ehime Prefecture native earned the bronze medal in the men's golf tournament at the Paris Olympics on August 4, carding a 5-under 65 in the final round.

Two weeks later, Matsuyama triumphed in the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. He carded a 17-under 263 to win the opening event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, aka the PGA Tour's postseason playoff competition, by two strokes over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.

Matsuyama's path to his 10th PGA Tour title began with a 6-under 65 in the first round and back-to-back 64s in the second and third rounds. He took a five-stroke lead into the last round on Sunday, August 18.

Indeed, he was in an advantageous position, but it wasn't an insurmountable lead.

Golf can frustrate and humble its best practitioners in a hurry.

Bogeys on the 12th and 14th holes and a double bogey on the 15th hole on Sunday contributed to his five-stroke lead in the final round vanishing. He later described that stretch of the final round as "agonizing."

But Matsuyama bounced back with consecutive birdies on the 17th and 18 holes. He regained the lead with a 26-foot birdie putt on the penultimate hole. And he closed out the tournament with an impressive second shot on the par-4 18th, driving it onto the green before tapping in the putt.

Looking Back at His Victory in Memphis

Matsuyama later recounted the pressure-packed sequence that played out over the final four holes.

"After the 14th hole, I was still two up, but I knew Viktor and Xander were playing [holes] 15 [and] 16 ahead of me," he told reporters. "I figured they would both get to 16-under. So when I was playing the 16th hole and looked at the scoreboard, sure enough, they were both at 16-under and I was a stroke back.

"I felt today's victory slipping away at that point because 17 and 18 are difficult holes enough, let alone to birdie them. But I was fortunate enough to birdie 17. Immediately I thought, oh, man, this is going to be a tough tee shot at 18. I've got to keep it in the fairway. I'm grateful I was able to do it."

Gratitude and a $3.6 million USD (roughly ¥525 million JPY) paycheck are linked to Matsuyama's work week at TPC Southwind.

Seventy PGA golfers qualified to compete in the FedEx Cup based on points accumulated throughout the season. For the BMW Championship (August 22-25) at Castle Pines Golf Club near Denver, Colorado, the field was reduced to 50. The Tour Championship, starting on August 28, wraps up the FedEx Cup with a field of 30 golfers vying for the postseason title at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.