Hideki Matsuyama was delighted with his performance in winning The Sentry, in which he set a new PGA Tour record score of 35 under for 72 holes. (More Golf News)
📖The 32-year-old carded an eight-under 65 in the final round to set the record in Hawaii, beating the previous record of 34 under set by Cameron Smith at the same course in 2022.
🐼Matsuyama's eight-under-par fourth round included an eagle, seven birdies and a bogey, with the 2021 Masters champion getting a birdie on the 18th hole to break Smith's record.
♐"That last putt, it felt like if I make it, it's going to be the record, so I'm so happy that it went in," said Matsuyama, who won his 11th PGA Tour title.
ౠ"I was able to get a great off-season and get a fresh start this week and play well, so it's a great way to start."
💝American Collin Morikawa had started the final round one shot behind Matsuyama and managed to hold onto second place, having shot 32 under throughout the four rounds.
ཧ"He [Matsuyama] just never let up," Morikawa said. "I just knew I had to be on top of everything, and just kind of let a few slip on that front nine.
🍃"Just going through the shots I left out there, there was a good handful that I wish I could have back.
🗹"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.
▨"I played a good back nine, but to win on a course like this, conditions like this, you've got to have it for 72 [holes]. And I had it for 65."
🅠South Korean golfer Sungjae Im, who had equalled Smith's record in 2024 on the same course, took third place as he closed with 65.
💮Elsewhere, Taylor Pendrith hit the first albatross on the Plantation course at Kapalua since the PGA Tour season opener moved there in 1999.
🌜The Canadian found the hole from 200 yards out on the par-five fifth hole before ending tied for 13th place on 22 under.
ဣ"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going to be really good [but] I didn't expect it to go in," he said.
🌌"I didn't see it go in but the fans that were up by the green went crazy so, yeah, it was a really good bonus."
