MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hideki Matsuyama felt the tournament slipping from his grasp—an odd sensation given that he had gone 27 holes without a bogey and held a five-shot lead just an hour earlier.
But Sunday’s conclusion was even more improbable.
On the brink of a collapse, Matsuyama sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to regain the lead and followed it up with two of the most precise shots of the day for another birdie, securing a wild victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. His birdies on the final two holes, among the toughest at TPC Southwind, earned him a two-shot win over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, who believed they were only playing for cash and FedEx Cup points until Matsuyama’s near-meltdown.
The unraveling began with a three-putt bogey on the 12th, followed by a tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th, where Matsuyama managed to escape with bogey. Two chips on the 15th led to a double bogey. When Matsuyama glanced at the leaderboard on the 16th, his fears were confirmed.
“I felt today’s victory slipping away at that point because 17 and 18 are difficult holes enough, let alone to birdie them,” Matsuyama admitted through his interpreter."
But he birdied both for his 10th career PGA Tour victory and first FedEx Cup playoffs title.
The stakes soared in the final hour of what had been a relatively calm and steamy tournament. It was tight at the top, and equally tense on the bubble for determining the top 50 players advancing in the FedEx Cup.
The tension was palpable. Nick Dunlap went from nearly winning the tournament to needing his best drive of the week just to stay in the top 50 and extend his season. Dunlap was as clutch as Matsuyama off the 18th tee, closing with a par for a 69 to tie for fifth and move on.
“It was weird,” Dunlap said. “I went from thinking I could win on 17 to questioning if I’d even make it inside the bubble. It was very stressful.”
Schauffele, who started nine shots behind, waited to see if he would make it to a playoff. Hovland held a one-shot lead with two holes to play. Scottie Scheffler, who shot 66 and finished fourth, was still in the mix on the 17th hole.
Ultimately, it all came down to Matsuyama.
“He just never let it get to him. It was really impressive,” said Dunlap, who played in the final group with Matsuyama. “That’s why he has a green jacket and so many other titles. It was cool to watch. He deserves it. He was impressive all day.”
Hovland, the defending FedEx Cup champion, entered the postseason at No. 57 with no guarantee of advancing to the BMW Championship next week. Then he had a chance to win, taking the lead with his birdie on the 16th. But he gave it back by failing to save par from a bunker on the 17th and missed a 9-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 66. He finished as runner-up alongside Schauffele, who played bogey-free for a 63. Hovland moved to No. 16, securing a spot in next week’s event and locking up a place in the Tour Championship.
But the drama wasn’t over yet. The final group on the final hole—the hardest of the day—faced a critical moment: Matsuyama needed par to win, and Dunlap needed par to move from No. 67 into the top 50. A bogey would have knocked the former U.S. Amateur champion out of the top 50.
Both split the middle of the fairway. Dunlap’s approach landed just outside 20 feet, while Matsuyama’s 8-iron settled just under 6 feet from the flag, with water looming to the left.
Matsuyama, who finished at 17-under 263, earned his second win of the year. He previously shot a final-round 62 to win the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Fresh off a bronze medal at the Olympics, Matsuyama’s performance—save for that dreadful four-hole stretch—was golden.
He claimed $3.6 million in prize money and jumped from No. 8 to No. 3 in the FedEx Cup standings.
It was a remarkable week for Matsuyama, who had to find a substitute caddie and work remotely with his coach after someone stole their bag in London while returning from the Paris Olympics. The thief made off with Matsuyama’s wallet and the passports of his caddie and coach, forcing them to return to Japan for expedited replacements. Matsuyama carried on as if it was just another workweek, culminating in his first postseason victory.
Hovland, Dunlap, and Eric Cole (No. 54) all moved into the top 50. Cole did so in style with a 63, despite a closing-hole bogey. Falling out of the top 50 were Kim (No. 43), Mackenzie Hughes (No. 48), and Jake Knapp (No. 50).