WGC-Bridgestone Invitational: Hideki Matsuyama storms to victory and is now 12/1 for US PGA glory
Hideki Matsuyama fired a stunning final-round 61 to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and he's now 12/1 for the US PGA Championship.
WGC-Bridgestone top five
-16 Hideki Matsuyama
-11 Zach Johnson
-10 Charley Hoffman
-8 Thomas Pieters
-7 Adam Hadwin, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Russell Knox
Day four report
Hideki Matsuyama stormed to a remarkable sixth victory in his last 20 events as Rory McIlroy's bid for a second WGC-Bridgestone Invitational title petered out in Akron.
And ahead of next week's US PGA Championship, Sky Bet make the Japanese star 12/1 joint third favourite alongside Dustin Johnson to triumph in the final major of the season. McIlroy heads the market at 13/2 while recent Open champion Jordan Spieth is 9/1.
Matsuyama fired an eagle and seven birdies in a brilliant closing 61 at Firestone Country Club to finish 16 under par, five shots ahead of two-time major winner Zach Johnson, with Charley Hoffman a shot further back in third.
Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, who shared the 54-hole lead with Johnson, carded a closing 71 to finish alone in fourth, with McIlroy fifth alongside Paul Casey, Russell Knox and Adam Hadwin.
Matsuyama's bogey-free 61 equalled the course record held by Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia, but was the first to be recorded in the fourth round and the lowest final round in any World Golf Championship victory.
After finishing fifth in the Tour Championship last September, Matsuyama won four of his next six events worldwide - including the WGC-HSBC Champions - and was second in the other two, before making a successful title defence in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February.
Perhaps unsurprisingly a relative lull in form soon followed, but the 25-year-old finished 11th in the Masters and a closing 66 at Erin Hills gave him a share of second in the US Open.
Sky Bet paying EIGHT places instead of five on the US PGA Championship!
The world number three started Sunday's final round two shots off the lead, but chipped in from 60 feet for an eagle on the par-five second and also birdied the third and sixth to move top of the leaderboard.
Another birdie on the ninth took Matsuyama two clear for the first time and although Hoffman and Johnson both closed to within a shot, four more birdies on the back nine - including at each of the last three holes - secured a commanding victory.
McIlroy began the day three shots off the pace but made the ideal start with three birdies in the first six holes to trail Matsuyama by one.
However, after finding rough off the ninth tee and coming up short of the green, the four-time major winner hit a clumsy pitch which ran through the green and failed to get up and down to save par.
After missing from five feet for birdie on the 11th, McIlroy's slim chances disappeared with bogeys on the 14th and 15th, although he at least ended on a high note with a birdie on the last.
McIlroy's victory at Firestone in 2014 was sandwiched between major titles in the Open Championship and US PGA, but the 28-year-old has failed to win a major since and split from his long-term caddie JP Fitzgerald after finishing fourth at Royal Birkdale last month.
The Northern Irishman has employed his best man Harry Diamond - a former top amateur in his own right - in Akron and for next week's US PGA at Quail Hollow, where he won his first PGA Tour title in 2010 and set the course record of 61 on his way to a seven-shot victory in 2015.
"I think it's been a good week, obviously wanting to play well this week but with one eye on next week," McIlroy told Sky Sports.
"I think it was a good prep week; I never want to treat this week like that because it's such a big tournament in itself, but I thought I saw a lot of good stuff to take with me to Quail Hollow.
"I felt like my wedge play got better as the week went on, my iron play got a bit better so those are the two things. If I can sharpen that up and be really good with that part of my game I feel like I have a really good chance."
Open champion Jordan Spieth needs to win the US PGA to complete a career grand slam, while McIlroy requires a victory in the Masters to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in having won all four of the game's biggest events.
Speaking through an interpreter, Matsuyama told Sky Sports: "That might be the best round I have ever played. Firestone Country Club is such a difficult golf course and to play as well as I did here, I'm thrilled."
Asked about becoming the first male Japanese player to win a major championship, he added: "I would like to win one.
"I will get back to work tomorrow morning and hopefully something good will come."
Collated Scores
USA unless stated
264 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 69 67 67 61
269 Zach Johnson 69 67 65 68
270 Charley Hoffman 68 69 67 66
272 Thomas Pieters (Be) 65 70 66 71
273 Rory McIlroy 67 69 68 69, Paul Casey 70 69 67 67, Adam Hadwin (Can) 68 69 67 69, Russell Knox 66 71 68 68
274 Rickie Fowler 70 71 67 66
275 Scott Hend (Aus) 70 69 63 73, Hudson Swafford 70 69 70 66, Thorbjorn Olesen (Den) 73 70 67 65
276 Xander Schauffele 70 69 69 68, Adam Scott (Aus) 68 71 69 68, Kevin Chappell 72 67 68 69, Jordan Spieth 67 70 71 68
277 Daniel Berger 71 68 68 70, Brooks Koepka 71 69 67 70, Dustin Johnson 68 75 68 66, Bubba Watson 67 74 66 70, Matt Kuchar 71 72 66 68, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven) 69 71 68 69, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 72 70 68 67
278 Jason Day (Aus) 71 66 70 71, Brendan Steele 73 68 69 68, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 71 73 69 65, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 70 69 70 69
279 Alex Noren (Swe) 69 68 74 68, Branden Grace (Rsa) 71 69 71 68, Justin Thomas 73 70 69 67, Jon Rahm (Esp) 67 77 67 68, Tommy Fleetwood 70 68 70 71, Jimmy Walker 68 65 74 72, Kevin Kisner 67 73 73 66, Ryan Moore 73 69 68 69
281 Bill Haas 70 70 72 69, Tyrrell Hatton 72 71 69 69, Patrick Reed 75 70 68 68
282 Phil Mickelson 71 72 72 67, Sergio Garcia (Esp) 72 71 72 67
283 Kyle Stanley 69 74 71 69, Marc Leishman (Aus) 73 71 70 69, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 70 72 72 69
284 Ross Fisher 67 72 71 74, Wesley Bryan 72 72 73 67, Renato Paratore (Ita) 71 68 74 71
285 Satoshi Kodaira (Jpn) 73 71 71 70, Sam Brazel (Aus) 74 70 71 70, Lee Westwood 72 78 68 67
286 Harold Varner III 70 69 73 74, Jason Dufner 76 68 73 69, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 74 72 67 73, Brian Harman 70 74 69 73, Si Woo Kim (Kor) 73 69 71 73, Hideto Tanihara (Jpn) 74 71 71 70, Emiliano Grillo (Arg) 72 71 73 70, Andy Sullivan 72 75 71 68, Fabrizio Zanotti (Pry) 74 69 71 72, Matthew Fitzpatrick 73 71 71 71
287 J.B. Holmes 69 73 78 67, Paul Lawrie 69 74 73 71, Bryson DeChambeau 75 69 71 72
288 Justin Rose 72 69 74 73, Gary Woodland 74 77 70 67, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 68 76 73
289 Russell Henley 75 74 69 71, Jeunghun Wang (Kor) 74 73 73 69, Mackenzie Hughes (Can) 74 74 73 68
290 Pat Perez 72 75 75 68
291 Andres Romero (Arg) 68 73 74 76
292 Shaun Norris (Rsa) 71 77 73 71
294 Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 76 73 75 70
297 Chris Wood 75 74 76 72
299 Rod Pampling (Aus) 73 70 76 80, Billy Horschel 76 78 77 68
301 Danny Willett 76 74 74 77
Day three report
Belgium's Thomas Pieters is the favourite heading into the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational but Rory McIlroy is firmly in contention.
Pieters shares the lead with Zach Johnson after three rounds at Firestone but it is the Belgian who Sky Bet make their favourite at 3/1 with Johnson offered at 100/30.
McIlroy, three off the pace, can be backed at 5/1, slightly longer odds than world number three Hideki Matsuyama, who is a shot better off.
Two-time major winner Johnson gave playing partner McIlroy a lesson in scoring on Saturday to make his push for the title.
Johnson was often 50 yards behind McIlroy off the tee but carded a 65 to the Northern Irishman's 68 to finish nine under par alongside Pieters.
Australia's Scott Hend is a shot off the lead after a superb 63, with Matsuyama a stroke further back and McIlroy on six under with American Charley Hoffman and Canada's Adam Hadwin.
"It could have been a lot better," McIlroy told Sky Sports after a round containing four birdies and two bogeys.
"I put myself in good positions out there and had some great chances coming in the last six holes and didn't convert any of them.
"I could have been a few closer to the lead but still feel with the way I'm playing I have a good shot going into tomorrow."
McIlroy who won the event in 2014 but was unable to defend his title the following year due to injury, is playing his first tournament since splitting from long-time caddie JP Fitzgerald, with his best man Harry Diamond on the bag.
"I feel great about my game," the 28-year-old added. "My driving's good, my iron play has improved each and every day.
"It's just a matter of doing it all over again tomorrow, seeing a few more putts drop and putting a bit of pressure on the leaders and we'll see what happens."
Johnson, who won the Masters in 2007 and the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews, carded eight birdies and three bogeys in his 65 to briefly take the outright lead, until Pieters also birdied the last.
"If you hit the fairway here you've got a chance," Johnson said. "The greens are receptive so you can be aggressive when you hit the fairways and I hit a lot of fairways.
"I hit a lot of good drives out there and it was humbling, but it always is with Rory and I'm used to it. I've played with him countless times, it's nothing out of the ordinary."
Pieters began the third round two shots off the lead held by US PGA champion Jimmy Walker, but stormed into a three-shot lead with five birdies in his first eight holes.
After a 330-yard drive helped set up a birdie from eight feet on the first, Pieters hooked his drive on the par-five second so far off line that it finished in the middle of the third fairway.
But from 250 yards away the big-hitting Belgian fired his approach onto the green to set up a two-putt birdie, before almost spinning his approach to the third back into the hole.
Pieters, who won a record four points on his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine last year after being given a wild card by European captain Darren Clarke, then birdied the fifth and eighth before dropping his first shot of the day on the ninth.
The 25-year-old responded immediately with another birdie on the 10th and although he bogeyed the 13th, 14th and 17th, birdies on the 16th and 18th completed an eventful 66.
"Anywhere I have a chance to win I'll definitely take it," said Pieters, who has won three times on the European Tour. "All I want is a chance to be in contention on Sunday afternoon and we'll see what happens."
Walker, who will defend his PGA title at Quail Hollow next week, was six over par for the front nine before birdies on the 15th and 16th salvaged a 74 to leave him six off the pace on three under.
Day two report
Jimmy Walker fired a second round 65 to move to the top of the leaderboard and is now a 6/1 shot to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron.
The 2016 USPGA champion carded six birdies and a bogey for a five under par round.
It means the American has a two-shot advantage over Thomas Pieters at the midway stage of the tournament at Firestone Country Club.
Belgium's Pieters fired a 65 himself on the opening day but surrendered the advantage on a rain-affected second day with a round of 70.
Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy is also in contention - the Northern Irishman is one of three players a further shot back.
McIlroy, playing his first tournament since splitting from long-time caddie JP Fitzgerald, with whom he won all four of his major championships to date, started strongly with a birdie on the second hole.
Although McIlroy bogeyed the ninth following a wild drive, he gained another shot at the 16th for a round of 69 which leaves him on four under par alongside America's Zach Johnson and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
Jordan Spieth, seeking his third win in succession after victories in the Travelers Championship and Open Championship, is one of six players on three under par after a round of 70.
Russell Knox is also three under - the 32-year-old Scot held a two-shot lead before the first suspension in play because of poor weather.
England's Tommy Fleetwood, one of 12 European Tour members making their debuts in Akron, is on two under after a round of 68.
Paul Casey (69) and Ross Fisher (72) are a shot further back. Justin Rose (69) is one over and Tyrrell Hatton and Matthew Fitzpatrick are three and four over respectively after second round 71s.
Scotland's Paul Lawrie slipped down the leaderboard after a 74 left him on three over, England's Andy Sullivan shot 75 to lie on seven over, two ahead of Chris Wood (74) and three ahead of Lee Westwood (78) and Danny Willett (74).
Day one report
Rory McIlroy is 6/1 second favourite to win the the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after making a good start to life without long-time caddie JP Fitzgerald in Akron.
McIlroy carded five birdies and two bogeys at Firestone Country Club to finish three under par alongside playing partner, Open champion and 5/1 jolly Jordan Spieth, two shots behind clubhouse leader Thomas Pieters (12/1).
All four of McIlroy's major titles came alongside Fitzgerald, but the last of those was in 2014 and McIlroy admitted he was increasingly taking his frustrations out on his caddie.
Harry Diamond, the best man at McIlroy's wedding and a former top amateur player in his own right, has replaced Fitzgerald on the bag and although it remains to be seen if the relationship becomes permanent, McIlroy joked on Wednesday that "if we have a good fortnight, you never know".
"It was good," McIlroy said of a round marred somewhat by a three-putt bogey on the ninth, his final hole, following a poor approach.
"I'm taking a little bit more responsibility on myself and there were a couple of times where I probably should have hit another club, but that's on me, not anyone else.
"I'd much rather be frustrated at my own decision than someone else's. It's great to have my best mate on the bag and we're just having a good time.
"It was strange the first couple of holes. It's different but I stuck to it today, I played pretty well. I guess it's the start of the next chapter in my career and we'll go from here."
McIlroy admitted he was still struggling with his wedges but added on Sky Sports: "The putter feels really good.
"It felt good at the Open and I've been working hard on it, trying to blend the technical stuff with a little bit of feel as well and I feel like it's coming together.
"I didn't feel like I had my best stuff at Birkdale but I was able to finish decent. I really feel like I tuned a corner at Birkdale and it's nice to open with a good round here."
Pieters, who partnered McIlroy to three victories on his Ryder Cup debut, fired five birdies in a bogey-free 65 to lead by a shot from Scotland's Russell Knox, who missed out to Pieters for a wild card in 2016.
European captain Darren Clarke selected Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Pieters to complete his team as Knox - the world number 20 at the time - was overlooked despite being ranked higher than all three.
Knox would have made the team automatically if he had been a European Tour member when he won the WGC-HSBC Champions in November 2015. He also won the Travelers Championship just three weeks before the wild cards were announced.
But after ending 2016 with three consecutive top-10 finishes, the 32-year-old has yet to record a single one this season and has missed the cut in 10 of his 18 events, including the last three in a row.
"I haven't really got off to many good starts of late so shooting four under round this tough track I'm very happy with," Knox, who has reverted to the putter used for his WGC victory, told Sky Sports.
"Winning a WGC for my first victory was a dream come true, I still pinch myself. They are massive events, right behind the majors because the fields are so strong. It's a great honour to be a WGC champion."