Hideki Matsuyama survives the fall, wins the first FedEx Cup final event

Through 64 holes this week, Matsuyama was out of control – to the point where he made five shots at FedEx St. Jude Championship as he tees off on the 11th green.

It was a tough week for Matsuyama without the ropes, but still. Matsuyama seemed fine inside cables. This is where he appeared to be going for his second PGA Tour title this season.

It didn't go so well.

As Matsuyama looked at the 12, a law enforcement officer arrived.

They talked. NBC broadcasters are confused.

Finally, PGA Tour Lead TV Rules and Video Commentator Mark Dusbabek came forward to explain that Matsuyama would not be penalized. Five holes earlier, on the 7th, Matsuyama had stepped on the mark from the green. But it was decided, after discussion, that it was far enough from his line of play, so no penalty.

PGA Tour rules officer Gary Young told the Golf Channel's Todd Lewis the Tour later found supporting video evidence that the pitch marker was about three feet from his line of play.

Matsuyama also told Lewis later that the conversation didn't bother him.

“If I was worried that I had done something wrong and would be punished, that would have bothered me,” Matsuyama said through his translator. “But it really wasn't a problem so it was fine.”

It didn't look like that.

He then pulled his tee shot on 12 and made bogey. Don't worry, he still shot four times.

He then pushed his tee shot on 13 into the bunker. He doesn't worry, he's average and he was four years old.

He then closed his way with 14 in the water. He didn't worry, he got up and went down to bogey and kept going up for two.

He then blasted his way to 15 over the green and reduced his pitch to the green and made two. No problem, he had a par-5 to spare.

He then left his third shot short of the green and missed the birdie putt. A big concern. His five-shot lead was gone and he had two brutal par-4s at TPC Southwind left in play.

This is where Matsuyama flips the script. After finding the green in regulation on the 17th, Matsuyama buried a birdie putt from 26 feet to take a one-up lead over Xander Schuaffele and Viktor Hovland, who had a birdie putt from nine feet on the 18th. But Hovland missed and Matsuyama chipped his way into Southwind's difficult hole to six feet, making the putt for a two-shot victory at 16 under in the first FedEx Cup Playoff event of the season.

His even-par 70 in the final round doesn't begin to tell the full story.

It is Matusyama's second win of the season after his first win in two years at the Genesis Invitational earlier in February.

Matsuyama's week was marred before it even started when he, his coach, Shota Hayafuji, and coach, Mikhito Kuromiya were all robbed at London airport on their way out of the Olympics. Hayafuji and Kuromiya both had their passports confiscated, meaning they had to return to Japan.

Although Dan Hicks reported that Hayafuji would be back in time for next week's BMW Championship, he had to miss this week.

However, Matsuyama dominated the week with fill-in caddy Taiga Tabuchi and a brand new putter. The 2021 Masters winner entered the 133rd week on Tour with a stroke: putt, but led the field for the week, despite considering a putter change on Sunday.

His last-minute recovery and a late miss by Hovland prevented Hovland from winning his third straight event after winning the BMW and Tour Championship in 2023 en route to the FedEx Cup.

But Hovland is in a much different place than last year as he entered this week outside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings. His joint second place finish almost gave him the chance to defend both his BMW and Tour Championship titles despite a down year.

He finished tied with Xander Schauffele, who shot a final-round 63 to climb to the top of the leaderboard and finish one ahead of Scottie Scheffler, the man with whom he is locked in a tight race for Player of the Year.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A native of Pennsylvania, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was the captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as the head coach. Jack is also *still* trying to stay competitive with the local novices. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a reporter/multimedia reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting weather. He can be reached at [email protected].