Monday, February 08, 2016


Japan's Matsuyama beats Rickie Fowler at 

fourth hole of Phoenix Open play-off


FROM THE GOLF CHANNEL
By Ryan Reiterman

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – Hideki Matsuyama from Japa knew everyone was rooting for Rickie Fowler to win Sunday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, but he still decided to crash the biggest party in golf.
"I'd say probably 99 percent of the gallery were cheering hard for Rickie," said Matsuyama through his translator. "But that gave me the motivation to go out and do it and win."
The 23-year-old Japanese star finished with two birdies in regulation to force a play-off, and then he closed out the No. 4 player in the world on the fourth extra hole to join Jordan Spieth as the only players aged under-25 years with multiple US PGA Tour victories.
"I struggled all week with my game, but it really came around today and I was really pleased that it did," said Matsuyama, who is expected to move to No. 12 in the world after his second career win.
Fowler led Matsuyama and Harris English by two with two holes left, but he blasted a driver on the 317-yard, par-4 17th that hit off a downslope and rolled all the way through the green and into the water. Fowler bogeyed, Matsuyama birdied and they went to the 18th tee all tied up.
"Rickie opened the door for me, and I was able to walk through it," Matsuyama said.
Both players had great looks at birdie on 18, and Matsuyama was first to strike. He let out a huge fist pump when his 17-foot birdie putt dropped, sending a huge buzzkill through the pro-Fowler crowd around the 18th green.
"The putt I made there was probably the best putt I have ever made in my life," he said.
The two young stars battled to a draw through three play-off holes until they returned to the 17th tee and Fowler found the water again, this time with a 3-wood.
"Surprised and sad that Rickie finished that way, but all I can do is my best, and I was lucky to come out on top," Matsuyama said.
With his goal of winning again already complete, Matsuyama said he will have to reevaluate his goals for the year. He doesn't have the pedigree yet to join fellow 20-somethings Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Fowler at the top of the rankings, but they are giving him plenty of motivation.
"Those four have set the bar so high, and that's what motivates me to practise harder and practise more, to be able to keep up with them," he said.
ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
par 284 (4x71)
 

 1


65 70 68 67 270
2


65 68 70 67 270
3


68 67 71 66 272

4


67 66 67 73 273

5


71 68 65 70 274
T6


68 73 69 65 275
T6
(Ireland)
65 70 72 68 275
T6


73 67 68 67 275
T6


69 70 67 69 275

T6


67 73 64 71 275
T11 6 -8 F -3 69 69 70 68 276
T11 6 -8 F -3 68 71 69 68 276
T11 5 -8 F E 69 71 65 71 276
T14 25 -7 F* -5 69 69 73 66 277
T14 3 -7 F -2 73 66 69 69 277
T14 4 -7 F -1 68 71 68 70 277
T17 14 -6 F -3 68 70 72 68 278
T17 14 -6 F -3 73 68 69 68 278
T17 6 -6 F -2 72 67 70 69 278
T17 22 -6 F* -4 72 70 69 67 278
T17 -- -6 F -1 68 68 72 70 278
T17 6 -6 F -2 71 69 69 69 278
T17 10 -6 F 1 67 65 74 72 278
T24 7 -5 F* -2 68 69 73 69 279
T24 7 -5 F -2 68 70 72 69 279
T24 15 -5 F* -3 70 70 71 68 279
T24 1 -5 F -1 69 67 73 70 279
T24 15 -5 F* -3 73 68 70 68 279
T24 7 -5 F E 69 69 70 71 279
T24 14 -5 F 1 70 69 68 72 279
T24 14 -5 F 1 70 69 68 72 279
T24 14 -5 F 1 68 71 68 72 279
T33 6 -4 F* -2 66 74 71 69 280
T33 17 -4 F* -3 67 71 74 68 280
T33 20 -4 F* -4 74 67 72 67 280
T33 23 -4 F 2 67 72 68 73 280
T37 14 -3 F 1 72 67 70 72 281
T37 14 -3 F 1 70 70 69 72 281
T37 2 -3 F* -1 73 69 69 70 281
T37 21 -3 F* -4 72 69 73 67 281
T41


69 72 69 72 282
T41 18 -2 F 2 71 66 72 73 282
T41 18 -2 F 2 68 71 70 73 282
T41 12 -2 F* -2 67 72 74 69 282
T45 14 -1 F 2 72 65 73 73 283
T45 6 -1 F* 1 70 68 73 72 283
T45 22 -1 F 3 69 70 70 74 283
T45 6 -1 F* 1 73 69 69 72 283

T45


67 75 71 70 283
T45 35 -1 F 5 68 71 68 76 283
T51 20 E F* 3 68 68 74 74 284
T51 12 E F* 2 71 70 70 73 284
T51 2 E F* E 71 69 73 71 284
T51 7 E F* -1 72 70 72 70 284
T51 11 E F* -3 71 70 75 68 284
T56 6 1 F* 2 71 69 72 73 285
T56 11 1 F* -4 74 68 76 67 285
T58 19 2 F* 4 68 72 71 75 286
T58 6 2 F* -2 68 74 75 69 286
T60 21 3 F* 5 70 71 70 76 287
T60 2 3 F* 2 69 73 72 73 287
T60 1 3 F* 1 69 72 74 72 287
T60 7 3 F* -2 69 72 77 69 287
64 11 4 F* 4 70 69 74 75 288
T65 3 5 F* 2 73 69 74 73 289
T65 1 5 F* 1 71 71 75 72 289
T67 17 6 F* 7 70 71 71 78 290
T67 3 6 F* 2 68 73 76 73 290
69 -- 15 F* 7 70 70 81 78 299
 

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posted by Colin | See story on its own page | Monday, February 08, 2016

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