Hideki Matsuyama shoots 62, surges to victory at Genesis

 

[February 19, 2024]  Hideki Matsuyama fired a bogey-free, 9-under 62 -- one shy of tying the record at Riviera Country Club -- to overtake the field and win the Genesis Invitational by three strokes on Sunday in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

The Japanese pro began the day six shots off Patrick Cantlay's lead but zipped up the leaderboard with three-birdie runs at Nos. 1-3, 10-12 and 15-17. He entered the clubhouse at 17-under 267 for the week, and no one from the pack of remaining contenders could catch him.

Matsuyama set the record for the lowest closing round by a winner at Riviera, one of the most historic venues on the PGA Tour. He also surpassed South Korea's K.J. Choi for the most PGA Tour titles by an Asian-born player, with nine.

"Shigeki (Maruyama) won three times (on tour) and after I won the fourth one, Shigeki told me, ‘Hey, you've got to pass K.J. Choi," Matsuyama said via interpreter Ken Hirai. "So I was very happy to do that and I'll definitely text Shigeki that I achieved this win this week."

Matsuyama, 31, had not won on tour since January 2022 and slipped to No. 55 in the Official World Golf Ranking. The 2021 Masters remains the crowning achievement of his career, but by winning the third signature event of the season, Matsuyama earns a $4 million payday and 700 FedEx Cup points.

At one point Sunday afternoon, five players were tied for the lead at 14 under par, including Will Zalatoris and Matsuyama. Zalatoris rolled in a 12-foot birdie at the par-4 13th to grab sole possession of the lead, but he went 1 over for his final five holes to shoot a 69 and tie for second with Luke List (68) at 14 under.

Matsuyama flashed his irons and took advantage with his final triplet of birdies. His 6-iron approach at the par-4 15th nestled within a foot of the cup for a tap-in birdie. Then he stepped up to the 160-yard, par-3 16th and dropped his tee shot to 6 inches.

"On 15, tee shot, second shot, perfect shot. So I had a great momentum right there," Matsuyama said. "... 16 I hit it maybe like 5 yards to the right of my target, but it became a good shot. All is good."

Matsuyama's round will live in the lore of Los Angeles' PGA Tour event, which neither Tiger Woods nor Jack Nicklaus managed to win in their illustrious careers. Yet he was slow to praise himself when asked if it was one of the best rounds he ever played.

"Majority of the time when I rate my round, it's usually my ball-striking," Matsuyama said. "Today was an OK round, but I chipped and putted pretty well today, so that's something that gives me a good momentum, so I think that really helped today."

Zalatoris had his most successful week yet since returning from an extended absence after undergoing back surgery.

Doubling the adversity was an unexpected death in his family on Thursday, which he only revealed after Sunday's round.

"She was with me all week," Zalatoris said.

Cantlay led after each of the first three rounds but opened his final trip around the course with nine straight pars. A drive into the bunker at the par-4 10th led to a bogey, and although he erased that with a birdie at the next hole, he faltered down the stretch with two more bogeys.

But Cantlay finished on a strong note, draining a 50-foot birdie at the last hole to salvage a 1-over 72 and finish at 13 under, tying for fourth with Xander Schauffele (70) and Canada's Adam Hadwin (65).

Schauffele had a highlight moment of his own when he chipped in for eagle from a greenside bunker at the par-5 11th. But he proceeded to bogey the next three holes to fall too far back.

"After holing the bunker shot, I knew I was within at least a couple shots of the lead," Schauffele said. "... I wasn't able to hit the 12th fairway once, 12th or 13th fairway once this week, which is a big bummer."

Harris English (69) placed seventh at 12 under, Tom Hoge (67) was eighth at 11 under and Australia's Jason Day (72) settled for ninth at 9 under. A large tie for 10th at 8 under included World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (68) and Sam Burns (67).

--Field Level Media

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