Pacific Palisades – One of the largest final stages in the history of the origin invitation, Hideki Matsuyama on Sunday ralled with six shots to win 2024 origin invitations from six shots.
Matsuayama’s 9-under 62 set a 62-year record for the lowest final round shot by a tournament winner. Phil Rogers shot the final round to win the 1962 tournament.
Former Masters Champion is the first Japan player to win at Riviera. This is Matsuayama’s ninth PGA Tour win, which gives him the most PGA tour by an Asian player, broke a tie with KJ Choi, who won eight PGA tournaments during his career.
The list of Will Zaltoris and Luke finished second in one tie, 14 under, three shots behind Matsuayama. Former UCLA standout Patrick Cantley, who had previously led 54 holes, was a difficult final round, posted a 1-over 72, which left him in three fourth tie in 13 with Zander Shoffel and Adam Hedwin, native to San Diego.
At one point, nine five five players at the back were tied to an edge under 14, before Matsuayama set his foot on the gas pedal, winning three consecutive shrimps to run away from the grounds and win.
The second shot of Matsuyama was executed for perfection on Par-4 15th hole from a distance of 184 yards, in which the ball was finished by just inches from the cup. After a few minutes he hit almost the same shot on par-3, 16th, coming to rest one leg from the cup with his tea shot. Matsuyama closed the victory with its ninth Birdi of the day on Par-5, 17th Hole.
Matsuayama said, “I was one of my goals to win in this tournament when I became a supporter.” “After Tiger was host, that target became much bigger.
While Matsuayama played well for Green during the tournament, his short game was the element of his game that contributed the most to his victory. He finished third in the field in both the strokes obtained around green and stroke. He hit 66 percent of the greens in regulation and already ended in scraping, when the green shutdown was rescued 20 out of 24.
Matsuayama said, “Most of the time when I rate my round, it is usually my ball-striring (which is important).” “Today was an OK round (ball-stroke wise), but I clung well today and did something like this, so it’s something that gave me a good momentum.”
When the day started, the meditation was on a potential 18-hole fight with cantley and shoffel. Both are close friends who play the practice round together in almost every event.
Both realized that the final round pairing would be a comfortable pair and would allow them to play well, but when both players failed to make relatively easy Par-5, the first hole, it proved to be a sign of struggle for both players to come.
Neither the cantley nor the nine in front of the shoffel had a shirt, and during the round they combined for only five Birds and six bogies.
“I was hitting it right to start it, just couldn’t really make a put,” Shoffel said. “On a small roll (at the beginning of the back nine) and after gaining some speed, some actually hit some bad times at bad times.
After dominating the tournament during the first two days, the incomplete of the cantley gave hopes to players like Matsuayama and Zalatoris, who started the day, trying to chase them.
Matsuyama closed its round for a quick start with the beadies on the first three holes, including a chip-in Birdi on the second hole. While he appeared confident from the beginning of the round, the former Masters Champion admitted before this round that he did not feel that he could win.
“I was not feeling comfortable with my ball-striring, so I was thinking in a way, hey, I am going to do a couple miss shots today, but perhaps done this kind of work (not putting any pressure on myself).”
While Matsuayama started six shots behind the final round, Zaltoris faced a very small deficit due to only two shots behind the cantley. But after recently returned from taking nine months leave after back surgery, Georgia Tech Standout was not sure how his game was with the pressure of pressure to be in hunting on the last day.
While he was not able to produce fireworks that Matsuayama did, Zalatoris succeeded in creating sufficient shower to put it in lead after 14 holes. On 15, a bogie left him behind and he was unable to any of the last three holes.
“It is good that when I am in controversy, one must be able to work on these (swing) changes.” “You know that I am doing it completely for what I am doing.
Like Zalatoris, Matsuayama fought through injuries. Over the years, he had issues of both back and neck which have affected his game and surprised him about his future, even though he is just 31 years old.
After winning the eighth PGA Tour at the 2023 Sony Open, Matsuayama injured his back. Long -term pain surprised him whether he would be able to return to form and win again.
His bench eventually improved but then he started having problems with his Bake which forced him to move away from the incident and stopped him from practicing. But after listening to his doctors and taking some time, he began to see improvement at the beginning of this year.
“Since the beginning of this year, it is much better.