Zozo Championship
Tiger Woods made golf history when he won the Zozo Championship in Japan for his 82nd US PGA Tour victory, equalling Sam Snead’s 54-year-old record and adding to his long list of achievements.
The 15-time major winner held off the challenge of home favourite Hideki Matsuyama to win by three shots at the weather-delayed tournament. He broke into a huge smile after birdieing the 18th to complete a three-under final round of 67 and finish 19-under par at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. “It’s just crazy. It’s a lot,” the 43-year-old Woods said of his 82nd official PGA Tour victory. His first came 23 years ago this month in Las Vegas, when he was 20.
Woods led from gun to tape in the inaugural US PGA Tour event in Japan, which saw Friday’s play washed out by the fringes of a typhoon, forcing play into an extra day.
“It’s about consistency and doing it for a long period of time,” Woods said of tying Snead, who died in 2002 four days before his 90th birthday. “Sam did it into his fifties and I’m in my early to mid-forties. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the career I’ve had so far.”
Woods resumed his final round, suspended due to darkness on Sunday, at 7:30 am on the long par-12th but saw his overnight three-shot cushion over Matsuyama immediately cut to two.
Matsuyama inexplicably spurned an easy opportunity to reduce the deficit to one as he missed a four-foot birdie putt on 14, but Woods made no mistake on the same green from 20 feet.
Woods missed a further birdie chance, from 10 feet, at the 15th and was watching from the 16th tee 181 yards away as Matsuyama walked in a 20-footer to get to 16-under.
Matsuyama kept up the pressure but on the final hole his bunker shot flew past the flag and when he missed the long putt back his brave challenge ended at 16-under for the tournament after a final-round 67.
“This was big,” said a smiling Woods. “Hideki made it tight. It was a lot closer than what people probably thought.
“It was a very long week because I was tied for the lead for the better part of five days. I made a mistake right away at 11 and it became a pretty good ball game.”
Playing partner Gary Woodland said he had been privileged to have been witness to Woods playing “unbelievable” golf.
“Obviously the majors speak for themselves, but 82’s just a crazy number,” said the 35-year-old US Open champion who himself has won four times on the PGA Tour.
“To battle through the injuries he’s dealt with, gosh, he’s young and he’s playing unbelievable. The ball-striking exhibition I’ve seen the last two days is a joke. So I don’t see him stopping anytime soon. Eighty-two’s pretty special. I think there’s a lot more in store.”
