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Masterful Matsuyama stays in pole position at The Sentry

Published: 05 Jan. 2025, 14:04

Hideki Matsuyama plays the 17th green during the third round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii on Jan. 4. [GETTY IMAGES]

Hideki Matsuyama hit a career best 11 birdies en route to a stunning and bogey-free 62 and retained a one-stroke third round lead over Collin Morikawa at The Sentry, the PGA Tour’s season-opening event, on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Matsuyama put himself in pole position for his 11th career victory by equaling the Tour’s 54-hole score in relation to par at 27-under at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii. His three-day total of 192 also marks the tournament’s 54-hole low score to par since the event moved to Kapalua, and also Matsuyama’s career best.

Morikawa also shot a fine 62 playing alongside Matsuyama as the duo put on a birdie-fest in the $20 million Signature tournament, with Thomas Detry finishing the day in third place, five off the lead, and Im Sung-jae a further shot back after a tying his career low with a 62.

“Collin played well and I just kind of followed him, so good day,” said Matsuyama, who will take his eighth career 54-hole lead/co-lead after going bogey- free for a second straight day.

“It was a lot of fun,” Matsuyama said, “but I would like for him to take it easy tomorrow.”

After making pars on three par-5s on Friday, the Japanese 10-time Tour winner birdied all four par-5s in ideal scoring conditions to keep his nose ahead of Morikawa, who is seeking a seventh career Tour win. Matsuyama knows he needs to keep focusing on only his own game to have a chance of another win.

“Just have to play my game, play my best,” said Matsuyama, who won twice in 2024.

Im, who has three top-10s in four starts at The Sentry, kept up his fine run at Kapalua with an eagle and nine birdies to tie his career-low round on Tour. He will enter the final day six shots behind his Presidents Cup International teammate, Matsuyama.

Im Sung-jae hits his fairway shot on the fourth hole during the third round of The Sentry golf tournament at Plantation Course in Hawaii on Jan. 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

“This is a course where everybody can be aggressive and make a lot of birdies when there's no wind, so I think everybody was aggressive today, and I was also aggressive. I think it was a perfect day for me. Last year I shot 10 birdies and 10 under in the final round, but this year I shot 11 under par in the third round, so I think I'm in a good position for Sunday,” said the two-time PGA Tour winner.

He was delighted to snare a 60-foot eagle on the par-5 fifth hole. “Probably my best shot today,” he said. ‘I want to give myself a pat on the back because I played so well today.”

BY CHUAH CHOO CHIANG [[email protected]]