MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hideki Matsuyama lost a five-shot lead through four holes and responded with birdies on two tough holes of course to salvage an even-par 70 and two-shot victory Sunday at FedEx St. Jude. Championship.
The start of the PGA Tour’s postseason has had tense moments at the top of the leaderboard and on the bubble, determining the top 50 players who advance to the FedEx Cup.
Nick Dunlop needed his best motivation to extend his season from a chance to win and he delivered his best day to advance to next week. Tom Kim is guaranteed to advance to the next FedEx Cup playoff event as long as he finishes his season 6-6-6.
Xander Schauffele started nine shots behind and was waiting to see if a playoff would come. Hovland had a one-shot lead with two holes to play.
In the end, it came down to Matsuyama.
He had a five-shot lead earlier in the day and went 27 straight holes without a bogey before rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt on the 11th to take a five-man lead.
Then it all came crashing down — a three-putt bogey on the 12th, a tee shot in the water on the par-3 14th and a struggle for bogey, two chips to reach the 15th green for a double bogey.
As it was, he was one shot behind the hard-charging Hovland, the defending FedEx Cup champion with no guarantee he could defend his title at the BMW Championship next week. 57 made it to the postseason.
Hovland, however, picked up bogey from the bunker on the 17th hole — the third hardest at TPC Southwind in the final round — and missed a 9-foot birdie opportunity on the 18th for a 66.
He was tied for 63 with Schaffele, who played bogey-free in the sweltering heat.
Matsuyama, who has been magical with his putter all week, delivered big. He got to the front of the green on the 17th from the left rough, then rolled in a birdie putt from 25 feet over to stay one in front.
The final group on the final hole — the toughest of the day — came down to this: Matsuyama needed par to win, and Dunlop needed to move from 67th to the top 50. A bogey would have hit the former US amateur. Champion within the top 50.
The two parted ways in the middle of the fairway. Dunlop hit his approach 20 feet out, while Matsuyama braved the flag to 6 feet dead for another birdie.
“I was a train wreck. I’m not going to lie to you. I was really nervous to be honest,” Dunlap said of the last two holes. “I don’t want the season to end.”
He tied for fifth place with a 69.
Matsuyama, who finished at 17-under 263, won for the second time this year. He shot a final-round 62 to win the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. His performance was golden except for that awkward four-hole stretch as he won a bronze medal at the Olympics.
He won $3.6 million and FedEx Cup No. Moved from 8th to 3rd.
It’s been a week for the Japanese star, who has had to find a fill-in caddy and can only work with her coach over the phone. They went out to dinner in London on their way home from the Paris Olympics when someone stole their bag when they weren’t looking.
The thief took Matsuyama’s wallet and the passports of his caddy and coach. They had to return to Japan and work on getting quick replacements. Matsuyama pressed on like it was just another work week and came away with his first win of the season.
The 50th and final spot went to Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who was scheduled to be out of the cut for most of Sunday.
Hovland, Dunlap and Eric Cole (No. 54) moved into the top 50. Despite a bogey on the closing hole, Cole did it in style with a 63. Rounding out the top 50 were Kim (No. 43), Mackenzie Hughes (No. 48) and Jake Knapp (No. 50).
Kim looked poised to advance until it took two shots to get out of a greenside bunker on the par-5 16th (bogey), two chips to get to the green on the 17th (double bogey) and a tee shot into the water on the 18th (double bogey).
“This season has just been … it’s been like this,” Kim said. “I played really good golf and then made some tough decisions. I feel like 2024 really kicked me.”
