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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Chris Gotterup did his half, charging up the Phoenix Open leaderboard with a closing flourish of 5 birdies in six holes.
As he saved free on the primary tee at TPC Scottsdale, the 26-year-old knew he would wish some assist with Hideki Matsuyama nonetheless on the course with a one-shot lead.
Gotterup bought what he wanted with a wild tee shot by Matsuyama on 18 and took benefit when the Japanese star did it once more within the playoff.
Gotterup shot 7-under 64 and gained with an extended birdie putt on the primary gap of a playoff Sunday after Matsuyama pulled his tee shot into the water.
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“You by no means know what to anticipate,” Gotterup mentioned. “We went over to the primary tee, hit a pair balls, was watching, after which unexpectedly you are on the market on 18 and everybody goes nuts and you are like, all proper, that is it.”
The chief by one heading into the ultimate spherical, Matsuyama had transformed all of his earlier 5 54-hole leads into wins, however limped to the end.
The 2-time Phoenix Open champion almost hit his tee shot within the water left of the reachable par-4 seventeenth, resulting in a par, and pulled his drive on 18 left into the church pew bunkers — his eleventh missed fairway of the day.
Matsuyama hit his second shot into the face of the bunker and could not stand up and down from 43 yards to ship the match to a playoff. He shot 68 to match Gotterup at 16-under 268.
“I wished to keep away from the playoff as a lot as I might, however I simply hit a foul tee shot there in regulation at 18,” Matsuyama mentioned by way of an interpreter.
Gotterup, winner of the season-opening Sony Open, closed with a 3-foot birdie on 18 in regulation regardless of hitting his tee shot close to the grandstands proper, and he watched Matsuyama end in between swings off the primary tee.
The long-hitting Gotterup wished to place stress on Matsuyama within the playoff and did, uncorking a large drive down the fitting aspect of the golf green.
Matsuyama yanked his tee shot even additional left than he did in regulation, caroming it off the far financial institution of the lake into the water. He hit his third shot onto the inexperienced after a drop, however Gotterup left little doubt by sinking his 27-foot birdie putt for his fourth profession PGA Tour win — second in three begins this season.
“I really feel assured in what I am doing and really feel like I’ve performed nicely sufficient to really feel assured to have the ability to be in these positions,” Gotterup mentioned. “Up to now, I have been in a position to capitalize on these.”
He and the remainder of the sector needed to endure a cost from Scottie Scheffler.
The world’s No. 1 participant went from being at risk of the lacking the minimize with a shaky first spherical to turning heads as his title moved towards the highest of the leaderboard.
The 2-time Phoenix Open champion had a run of 4 birdies in 5 holes on the again 9 to tug inside a shot however could not make the most of a large drive on 18. He closed with a 64 to complete in a five-way tie for third at 15 beneath.
Matsuyama gained consecutive Phoenix Opens in 2016 and 2017, rallying each instances.
He began the ultimate spherical with a one-shot lead over 4 gamers with a number of others nonetheless within the hunt — led by Scheffler.
The world No. 1 opened the game’s rowdiest match with a 73, then shot 65 within the second spherical to increase the PGA Tour’s longest energetic cuts streak to 66.
Scheffler was seven behind after the second spherical, trimmed it to 5 after the third and began inching up the leaderboard Sunday.
Scheffler had three birdies on the entrance 9 and a run of three straight on the again — highlighted by a 72-foot putt from the perimeter on 14 — pulled him inside one of many lead. A two-putt for birdie from 63 ft on 17 to bought Scheffler again inside one, however he missed a 24-foot birdie putt on 18 to see his cost fall brief.
“I performed fairly nicely — just one spherical the place I did not have my finest stuff,” Scheffler mentioned. “If I get in the home the primary day with a pair beneath par it is a little bit totally different story as we speak.”
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