NEW PROVIDENCE ISLAND, Bahamas—Tiger Woods was never a serious threat to win the Hero World Challenge, and thanks to Hideki Matsuyama, neither was anyone else.
Matsuyama lit the Albany Golf Club course on fire with an 18-under performance and a two-stroke victory over Henrik Stenson that wasn’t nearly that close. Matsuyama was in control all weekend long, passing J.B. Holmes and shedding Dustin Johnson en route to the victory. Matters got a bit rocky toward the end; nerves may have sabotaged Matsuyama, whose Sunday 73 was his worst score by six strokes. His seven-stroke cushion over Stenson dwindled to two, but he was able to keep the relentless Stenson at bay long enough to hold on for the trophy.
“I can’t say that I played well today,” Matsuyama said afterward, “but I did win Tiger’s tournament, and what a great honor that is.”
“I was miles away,” Stenson said. “It reminded me of the final round at [the U.S. Open at] Pinehurst in 2014, when [Martin] Kaymer was miles ahead and you were just kind of walking in a bit of a vacuum.”
Matsuyama has now won four times in his last five starts, and the fifth was a second-place finish. “You can’t really call it a run, because even when he doesn’t play that well, he still plays well,” Jordan Spieth said. “He’s got all the keys. I think he’ll be a major champion within the next couple years.”
With the 2016 calendar year all but over, eyes are now turning to Augusta. Matsuyama has placed fifth and tied for seventh in the last two Masters. If he keeps playing this well, he’ll be one of the favorites to win.
“I’m kind of glad it’s not next week, because I don’t think I could win next week,” Matsuyama said. “Starting next week all my focus and preparation will be for the Masters. Hopefully, along the way I can play well on the PGA Tour, but the Masters is my next goal.”
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
Devil Ball Golf – Golf – Yahoo Sports
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