Hideki Matsuyama triumphs on home soil to take ZOZO Championship title

Home favourite Hideki Matsuyama won the PGA Tour‘s ZOZO Championship in Chiba by five shots after carding a final-round 65.
Masters winner Matsuyama held a one-shot overnight lead from American Brendan Steele and sealed victory in style with an eagle at the last.
Matsuyama, who became the first Japanese to win a major when triumphing at Augusta in April, had bogeyed the 17th, but birdies at the 11th, 13th and 15th left him in control.
Eagle on 18 to win by FIVE.
Hideki Matsuyama seals the victory with an emphatic finish @ZOZOChamp. pic.twitter.com/jBMGZUAOB9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 24, 2021
The 29-year-old also eagled the sixth hole in an otherwise solid front nine, which included one bogey at the eighth and seven pars.
Steele finished five shots further back after posting a final-round 66, sitting alongside fellow American Cameron Tringale, who closed with bogeys at the final two holes to finish with a 69.
England’s Matt Wallace carded a final round of 70 to finish in tied fourth place after heading into Sunday’s final round four strokes off the pace.
The lead is 2️⃣.
3 birdies in his last 5 holes.
Hideki Matsuyama is heating up down the stretch @ZOZOChamp. pic.twitter.com/j7QMo7vxfd
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 24, 2021
Wallace birdied the fourth, eighth and ninth holes, but that was after he had bogeyed the first and he also dropped single shots at the 11th and 15th.
Fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who began the day five behind the leader, posted a second successive level-par round of 70.
Fleetwood finished tied seventh alongside American trio Luke List, Sam Ryder and Collin Morikawa, plus South Africa’s Branden Grace.
LIVE SCORES: Follow all the latest scores and leaderboards in our golf live scores centre.
Latest
-
PGA Tour
Injury rules Open champion Cameron Smith out of BMW Championship
The Australian world number two currently sits third in the FedEx Cup standings, 1,132 points behind leader Will Zalatoris.
-
PGA Tour
Will Zalatoris triumphs in dramatic playoff to claim first PGA Tour win
The American defeated Austria’s Sepp Straka in three extra holes at TPC Southwind – despite not making a birdie.
-
News
Ewen Ferguson seals wire-to-wire victory at ISPS Handa World Invitational
The 26-year-old Scot also won the Qatar Masters in March.
-
Ryder Cup
New Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald motivated by ‘bitter’ memories of 2021 defeat
Stenson was stripped of the role for breaking his contract by joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.
-
Ryder Cup
The task facing Luke Donald after replacing Henrik Stenson
Stenson was appointed on March 15 and said he was fully committed to a role before signing with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.
-
Ryder Cup
Luke Donald named Europe’s Ryder Cup captain
Donald replaces Henrik Stenson after he was stripped of the role.
-
PGA Tour
Tony Finau claims second straight PGA Tour victory
The American won the 3M Open in his previous outing.
-
News
Henrik Stenson cushions Ryder Cup blow with £3.6m debut win in LIV Golf
The Swede was stripped of his role as Europe captain after joining the Saudi-backed breakaway tour.
-
News
Former Masters champion Bubba Watson becomes latest player to join LIV Golf
The left-hander is currently sidelined by a knee injury and is not expected to play until next season,
-
Ryder Cup
Luke Donald tipped to replace Henrik Stenson as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain
The Swede lost the job 127 days after his appointment following his decision to join the LIV Golf series.