Matsuyama closes in on top two
Print Edition
HIDEKI Matsuyama closed in on Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson at the top of the world golf rankings yesterday, after his stunning win at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
The Japanese cut the gap to less than 0.1 points to Spieth in the rankings, as he looks to regain the world No. 2 spot from the British Open champion after a final-round 61 catapulted him to victory on Sunday at Firestone in Akron, Ohio.
Johnson remains at the summit, although his lead has been cut, while Rickie Fowler moved back into the world’s top 10 at the expense of US Open champion Brooks Koepka.
American Charley Hoffman broke into the top 20 for the first time in his career after finishing third in Akron.
On Sunday, Matsuyama marched to the title with an eagle and seven birdies. His 16-under total of 264 put him five in front of two-time major winner Zach Johnson, who closed with a 68 for 269.
Matsuyama, the first player from Asia to win one of golf’s elite WGC titles, added the Bridgestone trophy to the HSBC Champions crown he claimed in Shanghai in October.
The dominant performance came in the final tune-up event for golf’s best before the last major of the season, the PGA Championship next week at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.
Matsuyama kick-started his round with an eagle at Firestone Country Club’s par-5 second, where he chipped in from just off the green.
He capped his round with birdies at 16, 17 and 18 to join Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia as the only players to shoot 61 on Firestone’s South Course.
“In fact, I played with Tiger four years ago when he shot 61, so I knew 61 was the number today,” Matsuyama said. “I was thinking about that at 16 — I knew if I birdied 16, 17 and 18 I could get there.”
He did — rolling in a six-footer at the last — and will go into the PGA Championship a hot favorite to become the first Japanese man to win a major championship — although he noted that he’s never been particularly successful in the PGA Tour event at Quail Hollow.
“All I can do is my best,” Matsuyama said.
Johnson, who shared the overnight lead with Belgian Thomas Pieters, had three birdies and a bogey in his 2-under effort — but parred his way through the last seven holes as Matsuyama consolidated his lead.
Pieters’s 1-over 71 was good enough for fourth place on 272.
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