DUBLIN, Ohio – Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama made birdie on the final hole of regulation Sunday at the Memorial, and then won with a par in the playoff for his first American victory.
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Matsuyama didn’t look like a winner when hit a poor tee shot on the 18th hole. Lightly slamming his driver on the ground in disgust, the head broke off. He hit an approach to 5 feet for birdie for a 3-under 69. That put him in a playoff with Kevin Na, who finished off his 64 about two hours earlier.
In the playoff, Na drove into the creek. Matsuyama holed a 10-foot par putt for his sixth career win.
Masters champion Bubba Watson was in the lead until a drive out-of-bounds led to double bogey on No. 15. He missed the playoff by one shot.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the Muirfield Village Golf Club Captains Club announced that Sir Nick Faldo has been selected as the Honoree for the 40th Memorial Tournament. Between 1987 and 1995, Faldo won three British Opens and three Masters Tournaments.