Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 7 February 2017
Phoenix Open the most victories by a Jap- 14, 15 and 17, then hit in

Continued from page 17 anese player, and became the right bunker on 18 and
the first to win playoffs in an scrambled to save par.
The previous mark of event two straight years “I will take a lot out of this
618,365 was set last year. A since Ernie Els in the Sony week, especially on put-
record 204,906 packed the Open in Hawaii in 2003-04. ting,” Oosthuizen said.
grounds Saturday. Matsuyama and Simpson Fowler also shot a 65 to
Matsuyama has thrived in matched pars on the first match J.J. Spaun (67) at 15
the party atmosphere, ty- three extra holes, playing under.
ing for fourth in 2014 and the 18th twice and the par- Phil Mickelson tied for 16th
tying for second in 2015 4 10th before heading to at 10 under after a 71. He
before winning the last 17. Simpson’s drive on the made a run with four front-
two years. “There’s nothing 332-yard hole ended up nine birdies, then played
like it in golf,” Matsuyama on the right edge of the the back nine in 4 over with
said. “Playing in front of the green, with a bunker block- a double bogey on 17, four
number of fans and gallery ing his path to the back pin bogeys and two birdies.
this past week, great moti- Hideki Matsuyama holds the champion’s trophy after the Waste position. The 46-year-old former Ari-
Management Phoenix Open golf tournament, Sunday, Feb. 5,
vation. I just try to have fun 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. “That pin is so hard,” Simp- zona State star played his
with it, and at the same Associated Press son said. “That is the one 100th round in the event he
time, keep my focus.” place you can’t really be.” won in 1996, 2005 and 2013.
Matsuyama and Simpson Matsuyama won his sec- can.” Instead of trying to hit over “It was a disappointing
took advantage of third- ond PGA Tour title of the He’s the sixth player to suc- the bunker, he putted and way to finish it, but it’s very
round leader Byeong Hun season and fourth over- cessfully defend a title in left himself a 25-footer that encouraging with the way I
An’s collapse. Three strokes all. He has won five world- the event and the first to burned the right edge. have been playing,” Mick-
ahead of Matsuyama and wide events in the last 3 do it at TPC Scottsdale. The Simpson and Matsuyama elson said. “And the way I
four ahead of Simpson with 1/2 months, also taking the other five are Hall of Fam- each eagled the par-5 third got myself into contention
nine holes left, An bogeyed WGC-HSBC Champions in ers Ben Hogan (1946-47), to stay in early contact with there with nine holes to go
Nos. 10 and 11 and closed China, two tournaments in Jimmy Demaret (1949-50), An. Matsuyama hit a 254- was fun.”
with two more on 17 and Japan and Tiger Woods’ Lloyd Mangrum (1952-53), yard shot to 2 1/2 feet , and Fellow former Sun Devils
18. The South Korean play- unofficial Hero World Chal- Arnold Palmer (1961-63) Simpson a 272-yarder to 5 player Jon Rahm had a 70
er had a 73 to finish sixth at lenge. and Johnny Miller (1974- feet . to also finish at 10 under.
14 under. “It’s been a good run,” 75). Louis Oosthuizen finished a Last week, the Spaniard
“Just didn’t work out to- Matsuyama said. “I’m go- Matsuyama broke a tie stroke back after a 65. The won at Torrey Pines for his
day,” An said. ing to ride it as long as I with Shigeki Maruyama for South African birdied Nos. first PGA Tour victory.q