Orlando Sentinel

Matsuyama wins Phoenix playoff

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Hideki Matsuyama was the last man standing at golf's biggest party — again. Matsuyama won the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the fourth hole of a playoff for the second straight year, outlasting Webb Simpson on Sunday at TPC Scottsdale. Matsuyama won with a 10-foot birdie putt on the short par-4 17th, the same hole where the 24-year-old Japanese star finished off Rickie Fowler a year ago.

“I just had faith and believed that my chance would come again, and I just waited and waited, had patience,” Matsuyama said. “Finally, that last one went in.”

Matsuyama closed with a 5-under 66, parring the final three holes to match Simpson at 17-under 267. On the par-4 18th in regulation, Matsuyama's 20-foot birdie try to win in regulation stopped just short.

“I don't know how it stayed out,” Matsuyama said. “But you can't be short on a putt like that.”

Simpson birdied three of the last four for a 64, the best round of the day.

“To shoot 7 under on Sunday, birdieing 17 and 18 is a great feeling, knowing I had to do it,” Simpson said. “But Hideki is a great player, obviously. I knew he'd be a tough competitor in the playoff. I wish I could have a couple of putts back and hit them a little harder.”

The tournament drew an estimated 58,654 fans Sunday to break the weekly record with 655,434. The previous mark of 618,365 was set last year. A record 204,906 packed the grounds Saturday.

Matsuyama has thrived in the party atmosphere, tying for fourth in 2014 and tying for second in 2015 before winning the last two years.

“There's nothing like it in golf,” Matsuyama said. “Playing in front of the number of fans and gallery this past week, great motivation. I just try to have fun with it, and at the same time, keep my focus.”

Matsuyama and Simpson took advantage of third-round leader Byeong Hun An's collapse. Three strokes ahead of Matsuyama and four ahead of Simpson with nine holes left, An bogeyed Nos. 10 and 11 and closed with two more on 17 and 18. The South Korean player had a 73 to finish sixth at 14 under.

Matsuyama won his second PGA Tour title of the season and fourth overall. He has won five worldwide events in the last 31⁄2 months, also taking the WGC-HSBC Champions in China, two tournament­s in Japan and Tiger Woods' unofficial Hero World Challenge.

“It's been a good run,” Matsuyama said. “I'm going to ride it as long as I can.”

He's the sixth player to successful­ly defend a title in the event and the first to do it at TPC Scottsdale. The other five are Hall of Famers Ben Hogan (1946-47), Jimmy Demaret (1949-50), Lloyd Mangrum (1952-53), Arnold Palmer (1961-63) and Johnny Miller (1974-75).

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Sergio Garcia shot a final-round 3-under-par 69 to win the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday after holding the tournament lead since the opening round. The Spaniard, who had never posted a top-10 finish in his previous seven Desert Classic appearance­s, finished on a 19-under 269, three strokes ahead of Open champion and topranked European Henrik Stenson (69).

Denmark's Lasse Jensen, whose 65 was the low round of the day, finished tied for third with England's Tyrrell Hatton (67).

It was Garcia's first European Tour win since the 2014 Qatar Masters.

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