On a day of blown leads and blown opportunities, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama made sure not to blow his.
Just 22 years old, Matsuyama fired a 3-under 69, made a huge birdie putt on No. 18 to force a playoff, then won his first championship on American soil thanks to a 10-foot par putt on the first playoff hole, to defeat Kevin Na.
It was Matsuyama’s first title on American soil. He has five on the Japan Golf Tour. It was his third straight round under 70. He was on fire early, racking up five birdies in his first eight holes. The back nine was more of a trial as he mixed together three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.
Na couldn’t have played much better, firing an 8-under 64 and playing a bogey-free round.
Masters champion Bubba Watson looked like he would prevent a playoff as he stood at 3-under through 13 holes. But he squandered the lead with a disastrous turn with a bogey at No. 14 and a double bogey 7 at No. 15.
Chris Kirk and world No.1 Adam Scott tied for fourth at 10-under. Like Watson, Scott had chances to take command of the leader board but fell apart on the back nine.
Scott was 4-under on the front nine with four birdies and 5-under through 13, but hit three straight bogeys on 14, 15 and 16 en route to a 1-under 71.
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