World’s best tee off with a great start to new year
Matsuyama played his last seven holes in five-under par with the aid of an eagle on the par-five 15th, where he landed his approach shot 10 feet (about 3 metres) from the pin.
But Johnson had put himself out of reach of all pursuers in the elite 34player event for 2017 tournament winners.
He raced away from the field with four birdies on the front nine.
His only miscue of the day was at the par-three 11th, where he was in a bunker off the tee en route to a bogey.
He responded in magnificent style with his monster drive setting up his eagle at the 12th, and he padded his lead with three straight birdies at 14, 15, and 16.
His eight-shot margin of victory was the biggest of his career.
The win was especially satisfying after his final-round collapse at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in October, when Johnson led by six through three rounds but stumbled to a closing 77 to finish tied for second behind Justin Rose.
“After China, where I struggled a little bit on [the] Sunday, I didn’t want to back down,” Johnson said. “Even when I made the turn, I think I was 20under I told myself to get it to 25. I kind of just kept the pedal down.”
Johnson, who seized the top world ranking last February, has now won at least one US tour title for 11 straight years.
“Obviously I got off to a great start and I want to keep it going,” Johnson said of his 2018 opener. — AFP