Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama won the season-opening Sentry golf tournament in Hawaii by three strokes Sunday for his 11th career PGA Tour victory, with his record-setting 35-under total putting him on course to build on his 2024 successes.
Matsuyama shot an 8-under 65 in the final round to finish with 257 total strokes on the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua. Collin Morikawa of the United States finished alone in second, followed by South Korea’s Im Sung Jae three shots further back.
The 32-year-old Matsuyama extended his record for the most PGA wins by an Asian player to 11. South Korea’s K.J. Choi ranks second on the list with eight wins.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama hits his second shot for an eagle on the third hole during the final round of the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sentry tournament at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii on Jan. 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
“I knew Collin was going to play good today, so I was going to say, hey, ‘I’m going to shoot 10 under today.’ That’s the attitude I had today,” said Matsuyama, who earned $3.6 million for the win after posting three rounds of 65 and a 62 on Saturday.
After establishing a new record for the lowest score in relation to par for a 72-hole PGA Tour event, Matsuyama said, “I felt like if I make it (the last putt for birdie on the 18th), then it’s going to be the record. I’m so happy that it went in.”
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama celebrates after making a birdie on the 18th hole during the final round of the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sentry tournament at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii on Jan. 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
Matsuyama began the day with a one-shot lead and extended it to four at the turn after a 4-under front nine.
On the par-4 third hole, the 2021 Masters champion holed his second shot from 107 yards from the fairway for an eagle. His round also featured seven birdies and a bogey.
Matsuyama made his only bogey of the round on the seventh hole but quickly bounced back with four birdies in a five-hole stretch from the eighth, demonstrating he has dialed in his new center-shaft putter.
In a two-man race at the top of the leaderboard, Morikawa cut Matsuyama’s advantage to two shots when he birdied the par-5 15th, but Matsuyama pulled away with birdies on Nos. 16 and 18.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (R) is all smiles after winning the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sentry tournament at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii on Jan. 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
Morikawa finished with a 67. Im carded a 65.
“The good thing was I came right back with a birdie after the bogey,” Matsuyama said. “Now I know I can come back here next year. I’ll prepare well for next week.”
The field featured PGA Tour winners from the previous season and the top 50 players in the 2024 FedExCup standings.
Last year, Matsuyama won twice on the tour and claimed the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama poses with the trophy after winning the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sentry tournament at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii on Jan. 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
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