Hideki Matsuyama started the new season in spectacular fashion by breaking the PGA Tour’s record for strokes under par at 72 holes. The Japanese closed The Sentry with a 65 (-8), to score a three-stroke victory over Collin Morikawa in Kapalua (Hawaii). The duel between the two soon began to tip in favor of the Japanese thanks to an eagle on the 3rd hole. The American’s 67 was fruitless.
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A robotic Matsuyama was unstoppable all week. When he made a birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the tournament, he slightly showed his excitement by clenching his fist. His result of 35 under par (257 total strokes) thus surpassed the -34 that Cameron Smith established precisely on the same course -The Plantation- in 2022.
Hideki set another tour record with that final birdie, as it was his 35th hole with a birdie or best result in the tournament. Smith in 2022 and Sungjae Im last year held the previous record. The Japanese added to the eleventh title of his career on the PGA Tour, and it is also his third victory in the last 10 months. He is in an incredible moment. As it was a high tournament, Matsuyama took home a prize of 3.6 million dollars.