Golf

Matsuyama gets better of Fowler in Phoenix Open playoff

Shane Lowry finishes strongly to claim share of sixth spot in Arizona

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan poses with the trophy after winning the Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Mon Feb 8 2016 - 00:43

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama made par at the fourth extra hole to clinch an unlikely playoff victory over Rickie Fowler at the Phoenix Open on Sunday.

Matsuyama went birdie-birdie over the final two holes of regulation at TPC Scottsdale to force the extra holes as he and Fowler had matching 67s for a 14-under-par 270, two strokes clear of American Harris English.

They opened the sudden death playoff by playing the par-four 18th twice, matching each other first with par and then birdie, before continuing at the par-four 10th, which they both parred.

The playoff finally ended at the par-four 17th, where Fowler drove into a water hazard for the second time in barely an hour and could not save par.

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Matsuyama had the luxury of two-putting from five feet for his second victory on the PGA Tour, following the 2014 Memorial.

Shane Lowry – in the middle of a three-week stint on the PGA Tour – stole into a five-way share of sixth place on his debut at the tournament with a stellar run of five birdies in six holes on his back nine of the final round as he finished with a 68 for 275, nine under par.

The 28-year-old Offalyman recovered from the setback of a third round 73 on Saturday which effectively ended his title challenge with an impressive final round that saw him leapfrog up the leaderboard and earn valuable world ranking and FedEx Cup points.

Lowry got his great finish underway with a 14-footer for birdie on the 12th and then sank a seven-footer on the 13th before rolling in from five feet on the 15th. That kick-started a hat-trick of birdies which saw him roll in from 14 feet on the 16th and, then, after driving the Par-4 17th with a 3-wood, he two-putted from 18 feet for another birdie.

After driving into the rough on the final hole, Lowry salvaged a par which secured him a top-10 finish go to follow on from his tied-13th in last week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Lowry will continue his stint on the PGA Tour by playing in this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

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