MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama lost a five-shot lead in four holes and responded with birdies on two of the toughest holes on the course to salvage an even-par 70 and a two-shot victory Sunday in the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
The start of the PGA Tour's postseason had tense moments at the top of the leaderboard and on the bubble to determine the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup who advanced. Nick Dunlap went from a chance to win to needing his best drive just to extend his season, and he delivered his best of the day to advance to next week. Tom Kim looked certain to move on to the next FedEx Cup playoff event until a 6-6-6 finish on his card ended his season.
Xander Schauffele started nine shots behind and waited to see if he would get in a playoff. Hovland had a one-shot lead with two holes to play. Ultimately, it came down to Matsuyama.
Staked to a five-shot lead at the start of the day, he went 27 straight holes without a bogey and led by five when he rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the 11th. And then it all came undone — a three-putt bogey on the 12th, a tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th and a scramble for bogey, two chips to reach the 15th green for a double bogey. Just like that, he was one shot behind hard-charging Hovland, the defending FedEx Cup champion who came into the postseason at No.
57 without a guarantee he would be able to defend his title in the BMW Championship next week. Hovland, however, took bogey from the bunker on the 17th ho.