Hideki Matsuyama Hit A RIDICULOUS 3-Wood From 277 Out To Win The Sony Open In A Playoff
Cliff Hawkins. Getty Images.
While you all were busy watching Big Ben's funeral last night, Hideki Matsuyama was busy burying the hopes and dreams of Russell Henley in Hawaii. The two found themselves in a playoff at -23 after Henley blew a 5-shot lead at the turn by shooting a 1-over 36 on the back. Hideki was able to capitalize with a 4 under 31 of his own, including a clutch birdie on the 72nd hole featuring an absolute daddy hack off the tee
That put him into position to safely hit the green and two-putt for birdie and putt the pressure on Henley, who was this close to burying the birdie putt he needed to win in regulation.
Playoff time is where Hideki closed the door. After hitting the fairway (albeit less aggressively than 15 minutes earlier when he took aim over the left fairway bunker), he had 277 in and hit the early frontrunner for shot of the year
The kick-in eagle was more than enough to put Henley away, who made a mess of the hole anyway. Both guys went super low with Henley having never trailed at any point during the weekend, but Hideki's clutch play was too much.
The W marks Hideki's 8th career win on the PGA Tour and moves him back into the World's Top 10. It also moves his record to 4-1 in playoffs, having only lost in a 3-man playoff last year at the WGC FedEx to Abe Ancer. He broke a bit of drought last April by winning the Masters, his first win in well over 3 years. He's won twice more since having won the Zozo back in October, and now the Sony. He finally seems back to the player he looked like he'd always be when he showed so much promise in his early 20's, and should be a strong favorite at both the Waste Management in a few weeks (a tournament he's dominated at and won twice) and at Augusta come title defense time in April.
He and Cam Smith are both out of the gate hot in 2022 in a President's Cup year. I can't imagine them having a prayer in September, but those 2 guys are the International team's best chance of making it remotely respectable.
We're back to the mainland next week for the American Express. See you there.