Posted October 24, 2021 in "Watts" In The Bag by Tom Brassell
By The Associated Press
CHIBA, Japan (AP) — Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama had three birdies in five holes on the back nine and eagled the 18th for good measure for a five-stroke victory at the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship on Sunday.
It was Matsuyama’s first PGA Tour win in his native Japan, although he’s only had one previous attempt. In 2019, Tiger Woods won the inaugural Zozo Championship, the first PGA Tour event in Japan, and last year the tournament was moved to California due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Matsuyama finished with a 65 and a 15-under total of 265 at Narashino Country Club. It was his seventh PGA Tour victory.
If there was any doubt, Matsuyama hit a three-wood to about 12 feet with his second shot on the par-5 18th and made the eagle putt.
Asked when he thought he had won his home tournament, Matsuyama said through an interpreter: “Probably my second shot at 18, that was probably the clincher.”
“It was one of my biggest goals to win in front of the Japanese fans here in this country as well,” he added. “So happy that I’ll be able to accomplish that. Also, in 2019 Tiger won the Masters and went on to win the Zozo Championship, so I’m glad that I would be able to emulate that as well.”
Americans were tied for second at 10-under: Brendan Steele shot 66 and Cameron Tringale 69.
Check out “Watts” in Hideki Matsuyama’s bag below.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 (9.5 degrees, flat) – Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium (15 degrees) – Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD TP 9 TX
5-wood: Cobra King RadSpeed Tour – -Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: Srixon Z-Forged (4-PW) – Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 4 Forged Prototype (52-10, 56-8 @57.5, 60-08 @62) – Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (S400 in 52)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS – Grip: Lamkin Deep-Etched Full Cord
Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV
Grips: Iomic X