Summary
Hideki Matsuyama capped off his season in spectacular fashion, winning the Hero World Challenge on Sunday with an 8-under-par 64. On the first playoff hole, he birdied a 9-iron that left him just two feet from the hole, edging out Alex Noren. The Japanese golfer, who began the year by setting a PGA Tour record with a win at Kapalua, highlighted his performance by sinking a 116-yard eagle on the 10th hole, allowing him to catch Sepp Straka and take the lead at Albany Golf Club.
Noren, who was unable to start his season until May due to a hamstring injury, staged a remarkable comeback on the return round, sinking an 18-foot birdie on the final hole to tie Matsuyama at 22 under par, thus forcing a playoff.
The playoff was brief. Matsuyama, known for his relaxed style, twirled the 9-iron in his hand as he watched the ball roll toward the flagstick, landing just a few feet from the hole. Noren, meanwhile, missed a 20-foot birdie attempt that veered wide left.
Key details
“It was the perfect distance for me,” Matsuyama commented. “On my second shot (in the regular round), I missed a little to the right. I was aiming well and was able to hit a great shot.”
This victory marks the second time Matsuyama has won this festive event hosted by Tiger Woods, having previously triumphed in 2016. Straka, the leader after 54 holes, finished third with a birdie on the final hole and a total of 68 strokes. Scheffler, who started slowly, was unable to maintain his winning streak in Albany, finishing tied for fourth place.
Matsuyama, who now has 21 world championship wins, wore his trademark yellow tee in the final round, starting three strokes behind the leader. Although he missed the opportunity to capitalize on the two par 5s on the back nine, his bogey-free round and brilliant playoff shot were enough to secure Woods' trophy for the third time. “Tiger told me to shoot 10 under today,” Matsuyama said. “I didn’t quite manage it, but I’m still very happy to win this week.”
