Thursday Nov 14, 2024
Thursday Nov 14, 2024
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| Hideki Matsuyama eagled the 72nd hole to cap a majestic Zozo Championship victory (Photo: AF)
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INZAI (AFP): Hideki Matsuyama fulfilled a lifetime ambition of winning a PGA Tour event on home turf in Japan when he eagled the 72nd hole to cap a majestic Zozo Championship victory on Sunday.
The US Masters champion sealed victory with the shot of the week, a stunning five-wood from 250
yards to set up an eagle three at par-five 18th at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, outside Tokyo.
Matsuyama drained the 15-foot putt to an ecstatic roar from the 5,000 adoring fans surrounding the green and punched the air as he completed a magnificent final-round 65 for a five-shot victory over American Cameron Tringale.
“It was one of my biggest goals to win in front of the Japanese fans here in this country. So happy that I was able to accomplish that,” said Matsuyama, who finished on 15-under par with a 265 total.
For Matsuyama, Japan's first male major winner, it was his seventh PGA Tour triumph and made up for the huge disappointment of failing to win a medal in his home Olympics this summer.
The Japanese number one had found it hard to contain his anguish after losing out in a seven-way playoff for Tokyo 2020 bronze after putting himself under immense pressure at the Tokyo Games.
Matsuyama had pushed Tiger Woods all the way at the inaugural Zozo Championship at Narashino Country Club in 2019 as the 15-time major winner bagged a record-equalling 82nd PGA Tour win.
Matsuyama promised his fans that he would come back next year and win.
