Hideki Matsuyama hits a drive during the final round of the St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday. Matsuyama finished with an even-par 70, enough to beat Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland by two strokes. Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Hideki Matsuyama felt the tournament slipping away from him, a strange feeling considering that just an hour earlier he had completed 27 holes without a bogey and had a five-stroke lead.

The ending on Sunday was even more unlikely.

On the verge of collapse, Matsuyama sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to retake the lead, then hit two shots as precise as any all day to win a wild PGA Tour postseason opener at the FedEx St. Jude Championship with a final birdie.

Birdies on the final two holes – among the most difficult at TPC Southwind – gave the Japanese star an even-par 70 and a two-shot victory over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, who thought they were playing for money and FedEx Cup points until Matsuyama suffered a mini-breakdown.

A three-putt bogey on the 12th hole. A tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th, where Matsuyama got away with a bogey. Two chips to reach the 15th green, resulting in a double bogey. Seeing a leaderboard on the 16th hole confirmed what Matsuyama had feared.

“I felt like I was losing today’s victory at that point because holes 17 and 18 are difficult enough, let alone getting a birdie there,” Matsuyama said through his interpreter.

He birdied both to secure his tenth PGA Tour victory and his first FedEx Cup playoff victory.

In the final hour of what had previously been a sleepy, heated tournament, there was suddenly a lot at stake for everyone. It was a close call at the top, and it was just as exciting as the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings were determined, moving on to the next week.

How tense?

Take Nick Dunlap, who went from a chance to win the tournament to his best drive of the week to stay in the top 50 in playoff points and extend his season. He was just as convincing as Matsuyama on the 18th tee, closing with a par for a 69 that earned him fifth place.

“It was weird,” Dunlap said. “I started from 17 and tried to attack the pin. I thought I still had a chance to win the golf tournament. Then I can’t get up and down and then I’m wondering if I’m in the bubble or not. It was very stressful.”

Tom Kim seemed certain to land in the top 50 until his season ended with a record of 6-6-6.

Schauffele started nine shots behind but shot a 63 and waited to see if he would get into a playoff. Hovland was one shot ahead with two holes to go. Scottie Scheffler, who finished fourth with a 66, was still in contention on the 17th hole.

In the end, it came down to Matsuyama.

The collapse was breathtaking. And so was the reaction.

“He just never seemed to get rattled. That was really impressive,” said Dunlap, who played in the final group with Matsuyama. “That’s why he has a green jacket and a lot of other stuff. It was definitely cool for me to watch him. He deserves it. He was impressive all day.”

Hovland, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, began the postseason ranked 57th with no guarantee he could defend his title next week at the BMW Championship. And then he had a chance to win, taking the lead with his birdie on the 16th hole. He gave it away by failing to save a par out of a bunker on the 17th hole, and then missed a 9-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and had to settle for a 66. That was enough not only to play next week, but also to secure a spot in the Tour Championship.

Matsuyama, who finished 17 under par at 263, won for the second time this year. The Olympic bronze medalist earned $3.6 million and moved up from eighth to third in the FedEx Cup standings.

It’s been quite a week for the Japanese star, who has had to find a replacement caddy and can only work with his coach by phone. Everyone was on their way home from the Paris Olympics for dinner in London when someone carelessly stole their bag.

The thief stole Matsuyama’s wallet and the passports of his caddie and coach. They had to return to Japan and scramble to find replacements quickly. Matsuyama carried on as if it were just another work week and picked up his first win of the postseason.

Hovland, Dunlap and Eric Cole made it into the top 50. Cole did so with a 63, despite a bogey on the final hole. Kim, Mackenzie Hughes and Jake Knapp fell out of the top 50.

Kim was poised to advance until he took two shots to get out of a greenside bunker on the par-5 16th hole (bogey), two chips to get onto the green on the 17th hole (double bogey), and then a tee shot into the water on the 18th hole (double bogey).

“This season has just been… it’s just been that way,” Kim said. “I played really good golf and then had some tough finishes. I feel like 2024 has really kicked my butt.”

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