Scottie Scheffler takes a top-five finish while Hideki Matsuyama opens the FedEx Cup playoffs with a win
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Hideki Matsuyama lost a five-stroke lead after four holes and responded with birdies on two of the course’s toughest holes to secure an even-par 70 and a two-stroke victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Sunday.
The start of the PGA Tour postseason was marked by exciting moments at the top of the rankings and in deciding who would advance in the FedEx Cup and who the top 50 players would be.
Nick Dunlap had no chance of winning, but needed his best drive to extend his season. And he played his best game of the day to advance to the next week. Tom Kim seemed certain to advance to the next FedEx Cup playoff event until his season ended with a 6-6-6 record.
Xander Schauffele started nine strokes behind and waited to see if he would get into a playoff. Hovland was one stroke ahead with two holes to go.
In the end, it came down to Matsuyama.
He started the day with a five-stroke lead, went 27 consecutive holes without a bogey, and was five strokes ahead when he made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole.
And then it all got out of hand – a three-putt bogey on hole 12, a tee shot into the water on the par 3 14th hole and a battle for bogey, two chips to reach the 15th green for a double bogey.
And now he was just one stroke behind the stubborn Hovland, the reigning FedEx Cup champion who had entered the postseason as the No. 57 seed with no guarantee that he could defend his title next week in the BMW Championship.
Hovland, on the other hand, took a bogey from the bunker on the 17th hole – the third hardest at TPC Southwind in the final round – and missed a birdie opportunity from 9 feet on the 18th hole for a score of 66.
He was tied with Schauffele, who played bogey-free in the oppressive heat and shot 63.
Matsuyama, who has been working magic with his putter all week, put in a great performance, getting from the left rough to the front of the green on the 17th hole and then sinking a birdie putt from just over 25 feet to maintain a one-stroke lead.
For the last group on the final hole – the most difficult of the day – it came down to this: Matsuyama needed par to win, Dunlap needed par to move from 67th place into the top 50. A bogey would have knocked the former US Amateur champion out of the top 50.
Both shared the middle of the fairway. Dunlap hit his approach shot to just under 20 feet, while Matsuyama boldly aimed for the flag 6 feet away for another birdie.
“I was completely worn out. I’m not going to lie to you. Honestly, I was probably more nervous than I’ve ever been,” Dunlap said of the final two holes. “I just didn’t want the season to end.”
His 69 points and shared fifth place were enough to advance.
Matsuyama, who finished 17 under par at 263, won for the second time this year, shooting 62 in the final round to win the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Coming off a bronze medal at the Olympics, his performance was spot on, except for that terrible stretch over four holes.
He won $3.6 million and rose from 8th to 3rd place in the FedEx Cup.
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.
The 50th and final place went to Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who had been just outside the cut-off for most of Sunday.
Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler secured a top-five finish and maintained his comfortable lead atop the FedEx Cup standings. Scheffler finished the event at 14 under par, just three behind Matsuyama’s leader. Will Zalatoris of Plano finished 12th at 9 under par and Ludvig Aberg of Texas Tech finished 40th.
Other golfers with local ties included TCU product Tom Hoge (46th) and Dallas’ Jordan Spieth (68th). Spieth’s season is over because he will have to undergo surgery on his left wrist.
Hovland, Dunlap and Eric Cole (No. 54) made it into the top 50. Cole did so with a 63, despite a bogey on the final hole. Kim (No. 43), Mackenzie Hughes (No. 48) and Jake Knapp (No. 50) dropped out of the top 50.
Kim was ready to advance until he needed 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 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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