Matsuyama Grabs First WGC for Asia, Gribble Gets First Win

Hideki Matsuyama played his last 45 holes at the WGC-HSBC Champions without a bogey. That streak helped propel the three-time winner to a 23-under par on the tournament and a lead of seven or more strokes over the likes of Henrik Stenson and Rory McIlroy.

Matsuyama led after 54-holes and had no intention of relinquishing the lead, shooting a 6-under, 66 in his final round at the WGC-HSBC Champions. Last year’s winner, Russel Knox, was three strokes behind Matsuyama, so a repeat winner was a possibility. But Knox’s 2-over, 74 in his final round put a hamper on that.

While Matsuyama is a third-time winner, this win marks the first time that an Asian player has won a WGC event, making the win just a little more special.

While the WGC-HSBC Champions was going on in China, Cody Gribble took home the Sanderson Farms Championship in his first full year as a PGA Tour professional. The event, which took place in Jackson, Mississippi; was not easily won as Gribble had to dig himself from the 1-over hole he put himself in after the end of his first round. Gribble shot a 9-under, 63 to get back to 8-under on the tournament and it all seemed to click for him from there. He shot a 5-under third round and a 7-under final round to nab the trophy.

Next week the PGA Tour heads to TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open where Smylie Kaufman will try to defend his title and grab his second win in his second season on the PGA Tour.

Until then, I’ll let you judge how much the Golf God’s love Rory McIlroy.