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A18 SPORTS
Monday 7 august 2017
Matsuyama wins at Firestone with big finish

By DOUG FERGUSON his experience playing
AP Golf Writer with Woods in 2013 what
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Hide- it would take. And just like
ki Matsuyama was along everything else on this day,
for the ride four years ago he made it look easy.
when he watched Tiger He spun a wedge back to
Woods tear apart Firestone 4 feet on the par-5 16th for
Country Club on his way to birdie. He holed an 8-foot
a 61 in the second round, putt on the 17th hole and
which tied the South course then closed with another
record and sent Woods to approach and settled 6
a seven-shot victory in the feet away. Matsuyama,
Bridgestone Invitational. who began the final round
“I just couldn’t believe that two shots behind Johnson
anyone could shoot 61 and Thomas Pieters, fin-
on this golf course,” Mat- ished at 15-under 265.
suyama said. He now has won two World
He sure didn’t expect that Golf Championships by a
from himself Sunday, es- combined 12 shots, hav-
pecially after warming up ing captured the HSBC
so badly that Matsuyama Champions by seven shots
wasn’t sure which the way in Shanghai last fall.
ball was going. Some four Johnson, winless since his
hours later, the 25-year-old British Open victory two
Japanese star had a place years ago at St. Andrews,
alongside Woods in the re- Hideki Matsuyama, from Japan, holds up The Gary Player Cup trophy after the final round of the pulled within one shot with
cord book. Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017, in Akron, a long birdie putt at the
Matsuyama finished with Ohio. Matsuyama finished the tournament at 16-under par. 11th, but he could do no
three straight birdies to cap better than pars the rest of
off a runaway victory with tory over Zach Johnson. have found the game that pionship four days away, the way and shot 68.
a 9-under 61, giving him his He finished at 16-under first elevated him to the with a Japanese nation Pieters was never in the
second World Golf Cham- 264 and moved back to elite in golf last fall when he clamoring for its first major game after missing 4-foot
pionship in nine month. It the top of the FedEx Cup had four victories and two champion. par putts on successive
was the lowest final round standings. runner-up finishes over six “I hope their expecta- holes to close out the front
in four decades at vener- Matsuyama found more straight tournaments. tions aren’t too high,” nine. He closed with a 71.
able Firestone, and it gave than just his swing after he And the timing couldn’t be Matsuyama said. “But my The only other player with
Matsuyama a five-shot vic- left the range. He might better with the PGA Cham- expectations really at the a chance was Charley
beginning of this week Hoffman, who also was
weren’t that high, either, one shot behind on the
and here we are.” back nine.
He won for the third time Hoffman was three shots
this season, joining Dustin behind on the par-5 16th
Johnson and Jordan Spieth hole when his caddie sug-
for most on the PGA Tour. gested laying up because
“Once he gets going, he there was no place to get
Located in the Riu Antilles Resort (Formerly the Westin Resort) just keeps the hammer it close by going for the
green 282 yards away.
FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE CASINO FROM ALL down and keeps it going,” “I’m trying to win a tourna-
HIGH RISE AND LOW RISE HOTELS AND TIMESHARES. Rory McIlroy said. “It’s very ment,” Hoffman said. “I’m
impressive. He’s played
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He ripped a 3-wood onto
LIVE POKER past 18 months with a lot the green and over the
of wins and a lot of good
back into light rough,
finishes. That’s the caliber
GAMES START 8 PM TO THE WEE HOURS of player he is. I expect him chipped weakly to 15 feet
and made par anyway. He
to be right up there next
week, as well.” wound up with a 66 to fin-
1-2.....2-5......5-5 1-3.....2-5......5-5 Matsuyama, who started ish third, though it was a big
step in trying to make his
the final round two shots
$100 HIGH HAND BONUSES EVERY HOUR behind Thomas Pieters and first Presidents Cup team.
OVER $20,000 PER WEEK GIVEN OUT IN HIGH HAND BONUSES Zach Johnson, quickly got Matsuyama’s final birdie
broke by one shot the low-
into the hunt by chipping
CRAPS in from 60 feet for eagle. est final round by a winner
at Firestone. Fulton Allem
ONLY CASINO IN ARUBA TO OFFER 3, 4 & 5 TIME ODDS He took the lead for the shot 62 when he won the
first time on No. 6 with a
15-foot birdie, and then he old World Series of Golf in
was gone. 1993.
SPORTSBOOK Woods shot 61 twice at McIlroy got within one shot
of the lead on the front
Jose
Firestone.
Maria
LIVE SIMULCAST OF ALL MAJOR TRACKS Olazabal in 1990 and Ser- nine with three birdies in six
THROUGHOBRED AND HARNESS gio Garcia in 2014 were holes until his momentum
the other players to do it. stalled with a few missed
Matsuyama knew from putts.q