**MEMPHIS, Tenn.** — Hideki Matsuyama could feel the momentum slipping from his grasp, an unusual sensation considering he had played 27 consecutive holes without a bogey and had held a commanding five-shot lead just an hour earlier. Yet, what unfolded on Sunday was nothing short of astonishing.
As Matsuyama teetered on the brink of a stunning collapse, he managed to sink a crucial 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, regaining the lead. He then delivered two of the most precise shots of the day, capping off his performance with a final birdie to secure victory in the chaotic opening event of the PGA Tour postseason at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Closing with birdies on the final two holes—arguably among the most challenging at TPC Southwind—the Japanese golf star carded an even-par 70, clinching a two-shot win over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland. Both rivals had thought they were competing solely for cash and FedEx Cup points until Matsuyama’s sudden stumble nearly changed everything.
Matsuyama’s troubles began with a three-putt bogey on the 12th hole, followed by a tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th, where he narrowly escaped with a bogey. A double bogey on the 15th after two difficult chips further eroded his lead. By the time he glanced at the leaderboard on the 16th hole, his fears were confirmed.
“I felt like today’s victory was slipping away, especially since 17 and 18 are already tough holes, let alone trying to birdie them,” Matsuyama admitted through his interpreter.
Yet, he remarkably birdied both to claim his 10th career PGA Tour victory and his first FedEx Cup playoff title.
The final hour of the previously uneventful, sweltering tournament suddenly became charged with intensity, not just at the top of the leaderboard but also among those fighting to remain within the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings.
The pressure was palpable.
Take Nick Dunlap, for example, who went from contending for the tournament win to fighting to stay inside the top 50 and extend his season. Like Matsuyama, he delivered under pressure, hitting his best drive of the week off the 18th tee and closing with a par for a 69, tying for fifth place and moving on.
“It was surreal,” Dunlap reflected. “On 17, I was attacking the pin, thinking I still had a shot at winning the tournament. But after failing to get up and down, I suddenly found myself questioning whether I was still inside the bubble. It was incredibly stressful.”
Meanwhile, Tom Kim seemed assured of a top-50 finish until a disastrous 6-6-6 sequence on his scorecard abruptly ended his season.
Schauffele, who began the day nine shots behind, waited anxiously to see if a playoff was in his future. Hovland had a one-shot lead with two holes remaining, while Scottie Scheffler, shooting 66 to finish fourth, was still in contention on the 17th hole.
In the end, it all came down to Matsuyama.
