Page 21 - at
P. 21
SPORTS A21
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Hideki Matsuyama beats Rickie
Fowler in Phoenix Open playoff
JOHN NICHOLSON don’t expect it to hit on the “The putt I made there was Hideki Matsuyama holds the trophy after winning the Phoe-
AP Sports Writer downslope and then go probably the best putt I nix Open golf tournament, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Scottsdale,
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — 360.” have ever made in my life,” Ariz.
Rickie Fowler broke down Using a 3-wood on the hole Matsuyama said.
in tears in the media cen- in the playoff, he pulled his The playoff was just as dra- Associated Press
ter after his playoff loss Sun- drive into the lake just short matic.
day in the Waste Manage- of the green. On the par-4 10th on the Fowler missed a chance dium hole, before giving
ment Phoenix Open, over- “Hit it solid,” Fowler said. third extra hole, Fowler for his fifth worldwide win in Matsuyama a chance with
come by emotion talking “Just hit it a little high on saved par with a 12-foot nine months. He started the the long tee shot on 17.
about his family. the face and it just got up putt after driving into the run in May at The Players “It didn’t look very good,”
“The hard part is having and left a little quicker than left rough and skulling Championship, and won Matsuyama said. “Then
all my friends and fam- I was expecting and want- his approach long and the Scottish Open the week Rickie opened the door for
ily and grandpa and my ed.” right. Matsuyama made a before the British Open, the me, and I was able to walk
dad who haven’t seen me Matsuyama birdied the 5-footer to extend the play- Deutsche Bank Champion- through it.”
win,” Fowler said. “But I will hole in regulation to tie off. ship in September and the Harris English shot a 66 to tie
be able to kind of hang for the lead, chipping to 2 They played the 18th hole European Tour event two for third at 12 under.
with them tonight. I’ll be all 1/2 feet. In the playoff, he twice to open overtime. weeks ago in Abu Dhabi. Third-round leader Danny
right.” chipped to 6 feet and two- On the first extra hole, “With how good I’m play- Lee had a 73 to drop to
He hit two balls into the wa- putted for the win after Fowler chipped to a foot ing, I know I can win,” Fowl- fourth at 11 under. The
ter on the par-4 17th hole Fowler missed his 10-foot to set up a par after leav- er said. “That’s the hard South Korean-born New
— the first in regulation and par putt. ing his wedge approach part.” Zealander began the day
the second on the fourth short and right. Matsuyama Fowler chipped in from 50 three strokes ahead of
and final extra hole — to “Surprised and sad that rolled his 25-foot putt in- feet for birdie on the par- playing partners Fowler
give Hideki Matsuyama an Rickie finished that way, side a foot. On the second 4 10th to take the lead and Matsuyama.
unexpected victory. but all I can do is my best,” playoff hole, Matsuyama and added birdies on the Phil Mickelson followed his
“This one hurts,” Fowler Matsuyama said through a matched Fowler’s 15-foot par-5 13th and 15th holes third-round 65 with a 71 to
said. translator. “I was lucky to birdie putt to extend it. to pull two shots ahead. tie for 11th at 8 under. The
He blew a two-shot lead on come out on top.” “Maybe from the outside He missed a 10-foot birdie 45-year-old former Arizo-
the 317-yard 17th in regu- Fowler forced the playoff it looked calm, but then I putt on the par-3 16th, the na State won the event in
lation when he blasted a with a 10-foot birdie putt on was nervous inside,” Mat- tournament’s signature sta- 1996, 2005 and 2013.q
driver through the green the par-4 18th after Mat- suyama said.
and into the water, with suyama made an 18-foot- The crowd of 65,330
the ball traveling nearly 360 er. They each shot 4-under pushed the week total to a
yards. 67 to finish at 14-under 270 record 618,365, shattering
“I’m hitting a chip-cut driv- at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadi- the mark of 564,368 set last
er,” Fowler said. “Usually, um Course. year. The event broke its
own golf record Saturday
at 201,003 after drawing a
Friday-record 160,415.
“It was a blast playing in
front of all these people,”
Matsuyama said. “I’d say
probably 99 percent were
cheering hard for Rickie,
but that gave me the mo-
tivation to go out and do it
and win.”
Matsuyama won the 2014
Memorial for his only other
PGA Tour title, beating Kev-
in Na on the first extra hole.
The 23-year-old Japanese
player tied for second last
year in Scottsdale, a stroke
behind Brooks Koepka.
