Hideki Matsuyama guns down records in title charge at The Sentry

Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama completed a dominant march to his 11th PGA Tour title, winning the season-opening event, The Sentry, by a comprehensive three-stroke margin in Hawaii on Sunday.

The 32-year-old held off fellow major champion Collin Morikawa with a closing 8 under par 65 to establish a new 72-hole scoring record in relation to par with his staggering 35-under 257 winning aggregate at the $20 million Signature event, the PGA Tour said.

Matsuyama, who won twice last season to break a tie with K.J. Choi of South Korea for most PGA Tour titles by an Asian golfer, also hit 35 birdies or more through the week, breaking the previous mark by one, having led the tournament from the second day.

“I knew Collin was going to play good, so I was going to say, ‘hey I’m going to shoot 10-under today’, that was the attitude I had,” said a jubilant Matsuyama (65-65-62-65), who earned 700 FedEx Cup points and $3.6 million.

“That last putt, it felt like if I make it, it’ll give me the record. I’m so happy that it went in,” added the Asian star, who surpassed the previous record of 34-under set at Kapalua by Cameron Smith in 2022, and the 34 birdies or better record in a tournament held by South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Smith.

“Thirty-five under par is, that's low,” Morikawa said on the PGA Tour website after his tenth career runner-up finish from 122 starts. “I mean, he was matching me yesterday shot for shot, and I felt like I was playing lights out, right? … Today he just never let up. Then you get to the third hole and the guy holes it. I just knew I had to be on top of everything.

“There was a good handful (of shots) that I wish I could have back,” Morikawa (66-65-62-67, 32 under 260) added. “When you don't get it done, that's where your mind goes to. I know there is a lot of positives, and it's going to take me a few hours or a day to get over it. … We’re going to go on a roll pretty soon, it's just hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Im (69-67-62-65) ensured a memorable week for Asian golf by finishing solo third for his fourth top-10 in five starts at The Sentry after he closed with a bogey-free 65 to finish six shots behind the 2025 season’s first winner at the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii.

Leading by a stroke over Morikawa into the final round, Matsuyama made a flying start by holing out a wedge shot from just over 100 yards for a sensational eagle on the par-4, third hole. 

When Morikawa applied pressure with birdies on 10 and 11, the Japanese responded with birdies of his own on 11 and 12 to maintain his advantage, and eventually cruised home to become the seventh player to complete a Hawaiian double as he had also won the 2022 Sony Open in Hawaii.

“On the 3rd hole, 105 yards, I thought, Oh, I hit a good one. I knew it was going to be right there for a birdie, but then I heard the crowd, so I knew that it went in. Definitely happy that it did. It was a delicate touch shot and I was able to make a great shot there,” said Matsuyama, who will make the short hop to the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu starting on Thursday.

Matsuyama’s third victory in the past 10 months will lift him to fifth place in the Official World Golf Ranking and promises to be a big motivator for him to chase down current no. 1, Scottie Scheffler, who missed The Sentry through a hand injury.

“September, November, December, I really didn't get to play too much golf, so I kind of forgot about the last two (wins), so I think this is kind of the beginning,” he said. “I have goals within myself, and I'm not going to say it right here, but there are unfinished business that I have set for myself that I still am striving to get to.”

Im sank eight birdies for another bogey-free card as he recorded his lowest four-day score at Kapalua with a 29-under 263. “I feel great. It was a decent finish for the first event and I hope it continues,” said the 26-year-old.

“It was bogey-free round for two days. It was great play. It was pretty windy today but I made some good saves. I think I will take next week off and play from Palm Springs. I need to try to step it up, step by step as this season continues on. My last win was about three years ago. I wish to win again this season but winning is not that easy here. There are a lot of skilled players as well as young and new players who has potential. I am going to try my best.”