Hideki Matsuyama looked unstoppable at Kapalua all week, and even set a new PGA Tour scoring record in the process.
Hideki Matsuyama has set a new scoring record on the PGA Tour.
Thanks to his fourth straight sub-65 round at Kapalua, Matsuyama finished The Sentry at 35-under. He broke Cameron Smith’s previous record, a preposterous 34-under, which was also carded on the Plantation Course at Kapalua. Smith accomplished this feat three years ago, seven months before his triumph at St. Andrews.
As for Matsuyama, his win at The Sentry marks his 11th career victory on the PGA Tour. He won by three shots over Collin Morikawa, who again turned in a phenomenal performance at Kapalua and ultimately finished at 32-under. But Morikawa’s remarkable display is second fiddle to what Matsuyama achieved, as the 2021 Masters winner looked unstoppable all week, especially over the final 54 holes.
It’s also worth noting that Matsuyama made 35 birdies this week — almost half the holes he played. That, too, set a new PGA Tour record, besting the mark Sungjae Im set a year ago at Kapalua by one.
Hideki Matsuyama wins The Sentry with the lowest 72-hole score in PGA TOUR HISTORY (-35). pic.twitter.com/JkMiXRn9na
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) January 6, 2025
The Japanese star carded 8-under 65s over the first two rounds, putting himself in a terrific position through 36 holes. He then bested that on Saturday, firing an 11-under 62 to keep a one-shot lead over Morikawa heading into the final round.
Matsuyama did not take his foot off the gas, though. He holed out for an eagle two on the par-4 3rd hole on Sunday, which jumped him up to 29-under overall. He made seven more birdies after that — with his only hiccup being a bogey at the 7th.
By the time he arrived on the par-5 18th, Matsuyama was 34-under, with a chance to snap the record. He knew it, too. The tournament was all but over by then, but the drama ramped up, knowing that history was on the table. The cool, calm, and collected Matsuyama then smashed his drive right down the middle of the fairway. He hit his second shot to the right of the green, then got up-and-down from there for birdie, making an 8-footer to reach that elusive 35-under mark.
“That last putt, it felt like if I make it, then it’s going to be the record,” Matsuyama said.
“So I’m so happy that it went in.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
