Matsuyama keeps 3-shot lead at HSBC Champions
Hideki Matsuyama left the highlights to everyone else yesterday at the HSBC Champions. All he cared about was keeping the lead. In a third round that was dull by the standard Matsuyama had set for himself in making 19 birdies the opening two days at Sheshan International, the Japanese star picked up three of his birdies on the par 5s and rarely got out of position. Bogey-free for the first time all week, he was more than satisfied with a 4-under 68 to keep his three-shot lead going into the final round.
“The first two days, making lots of birdies, it’s a lot of fun,” Matsuyama said. “But today, when you’re in a position to win, playing smart and making no bogeys was very satisfying for me.” Even more satisfying was that only four players were within five shots of his lead. One of them was defending champion Russell Knox, who had far too much excitement in the middle of the back nine that kept his round together. Knox sandwiched birdies on a pair of tough par 4s around a par on one the third-easiest hole on the course, the par-5 14th. He hit into the water and was headed for a bogey when he made a long putt that kept his momentum and sent him to a 68 to stay three shots behind.
“After hitting in the water on 14, to make a massive putt for par was huge,” Knox said. “Those little moments are what add up in a tournament. Could have been a lot worse.” Daniel Berger was another shot behind after quite the adventure over his final hour.
Berger ran off four straight birdies to get within two shots before taking bogey on the par-3 17th. Then he chose to go for the green on the par-5 closing hole, only to block it right into the water. He took his penalty drop, hit a full wedge into 5 feet and escaped with a par for a 67. “That’s what it’s been like the last three days,” Berger said about his scrambling. “To make bogeys on the last two holes would not be nice going into tomorrow.”
Today might be no less daunting considering how Matsuyama has been playing - not just this week, but all month. Matsuyama was at 17under 199. Francesco Molinari, who won the HSBC Champions in 2010, shot a 68 and joined Bill Haas (70) at 12-under 204.
Matsuyama finished fifth in the Tour Championship to cap off his most successful season on the PGA Tour, which includes his Phoenix Open playoff victory over Fowler at the start of the year. Two weeks ago, he won the Japan Open, then flew to Malaysia and was runner-up to Justin Thomas in the CIMB Classic. Starting with his 10-birdie round of 66 to start the HSBC Champions, he has looked like the man to beat all week. No one got closer than two shots of Matsuyama in the third round, though the last hole was important to him. —AP