Hideki Matsuyama ties course record at THE PLAYERS Championship
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Hideki Matsuyama carded eight birdies and an eagle during Round 1 at TPC Sawgrass
Hideki Matsuyama uses nice approach to set up birdie at THE PLAYERS
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Hideki Matsuyama shot 63 on Thursday to tie the course record at TPC Sawgrass.
He finished his round by making a 25-foot eagle putt on the ninth green of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course. He is the ninth player to shoot 63 at TPC Sawgrass, and the fifth to do so in the first round.
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Three of the previous four players to shoot a first-round 63 went on to win THE PLAYERS: Greg Norman (1994), Martin Kaymer (2014) and Jason Day (2016).
Matsuyama got out of the gates quickly despite a poor warmup.
“I didn't have the greatest warm-up this morning, but once play started I got into it, I got into a good groove,” he said.
Matsuyama, who teed off on No. 10, started his round with four consecutive birdies before hitting his second shot into the water and making bogey on the par-5 16th hole. He made birdie on the par-5 second hole, then birdies Nos. 5-7 before making eagle on his final hole.
He gained more than four strokes on the greens Thursday, making every putt he faced from inside 15 feet.
“I've been working hard and have a lot of confidence now in my swing,” Matsuyama said. “Today I made some putts and that seems to be the difference of late. That was really the catapult to me to have a good round today.”
Matsuyama has not won since 2017 but is 10th in the FedExCup thanks to four top-10s this season, including two top-3 finishes in Asia.
Sean Martin manages PGATOUR.COM’s staff of writers as the Lead, Editorial. He covered all levels of competitive golf at Golfweek Magazine for seven years, including tournaments on four continents, before coming to the PGA TOUR in 2013. Follow Sean Martin on Twitter.