3 minute read
Hideki Matsuyama has won the opening PGA Tour playoffs tournament in Memphis from Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.
Cam Davis has survived a horror closing hole to join fellow Australians Jason Day and Adam Scott in advancing among the top 50 who will contest the PGA Tour's penultimate playoffs event.
The 29-year-old Sydneysider could finally breath a sigh of relief after securing spot No.49 in the FedEx Cup points rankings, having sweated it out on the bubble for most of the final day at the St Jude Championship in Memphis on Sunday.
A double bogey on the final hole after hitting his approach shot into water added to the stress but ultimately Davis's good work earlier ensured he advanced to this week's BMW Championship in Colorado ahead of the season-ending Tour Championship for the top 30.
Making the BMW not only keeps players' FedExCup hopes alive, but it also earns them spots in all of next year's $US20 million ($A30 million) signature events with their increased points and purses.
Davis posted a three-under 67 to finish tied 40th in the playoffs opener, 14 shots behind winner Hideki Matsuyama, who overcame a huge late scare to win by two strokes from the red-hot Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.
Matsuyama lost a five-shot lead in four holes before birdieing two of the toughest holes to salvage a 70 and win at 17-under at TPC Southwind.
Already the winner of the PGA Championship and British Open this season, Schauffele started the day nine back but shot a flawless 63 while Hovland had a 66 as the pair finished one shot clear of world No.1 Scottie Scheffler (66).
There was at least as much tension around the bubble battle. Davis started the day under great pressure but handled it well for the most part to be five under for his round when he birdied the 17th.
Not knowing what he needed to shoot added to the strain.
"I had a feeling if I parred the last I would have been fine," said world No.44 Davis, who won in Detroit in June.
"I've done it every year for the last three years," he added of the bubble struggle.
"I feel like I'm constantly in this position where you've had a good season but still borderline mising out for next year, which doesn't feel right."
Of the other three Australians, Scott and Day can both go forward to the BMW with confidence.
Scott posted a closing 67 to finish the tournament tied 18th at seven under, improving his points standing to No.41.
Day had a 70 and was tied 22nd at six under, improving to No.25 in the standings.
But Min Woo Lee's PGA Tour season is over, despite joining Day in the tie for 22nd after a closing 66. He finished at No.60 and missed the cut off.
The 50th and final spot went to US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who was projected just outside the cutoff for much of Sunday, while falling out of the top 50 were Anthony Kim, Mackenzie Hughes and Jake Knapp.
Matsuyama won $US3.6 million ($A5.4 million) and moved from No.8 to No.3 in the FedEx Cup.
Schauffele is now the only player with a mathematical chance to pass Scheffler for top spot in the standings ahead of the Tour Championship.
Hovland, the defending FedEx Cup champion, came into the postseason at No. 57 without a guarantee he would be able to defend his title in the BMW Championship next week.
His tied for second place moved him to No. 16, not only getting into next week but locking up a spot in the Tour Championship.
- with The AP
