Hideki Matsuyama beats Rickie Fowler in Phoenix Open playoff

England’s Andy Sullivan (66), who finished runner-up to McIlroy in November’s DP World Tour Championship, was third at 202, Netherland’s Joost Luiten (67) fourth at 203 and recent Joburg Open victor, Hadyn Porteus of South Africa, fifth at 204.

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.

Fowler blinked first, pulling one into the water on the fourth playoff hole, which gave Matsuyama the opening he needed to win.

28 – Consecutive holes Matsuyama played closing the Phoenix Open without making a bogey. He now has a T4, T2 and a win.

“So the fact that the PGA Tour is a little lenient on us doing whatever things you want to do on that hole, it’s good for golf, good for the game and good for the fans”, he said. After another half, it was to the dreaded 17th, where Fowler opted for safety and pulled his three wood out-of-bounds. He rolled it in, forcing a fourth playoff hole.

Few players on the PGA Tour can rival Matsuyama’s ball-striking and play tee-to-green.

Matsuyama ended the 2015 season 15th in the world rankings.

Rickie Fowler, a 16-1 chance ante-post, has given himself high hopes of following up his Abu Dhabi Championship triumph with another victory. He was bogey-free and held a two-shot lead over Matsuyama.

He absolutely nailed his drive and the ball pitched on a downslope of the green, shooting forward and rolling into the water out the back of the green…some 360 yards from the tee box.

When asked 30 seconds later how long it will take to get over the loss, tears formed and Fowler had a hard time talking.

Fowler missed a putt for par to allow Matsuyama two putts for victory from around 15 feet, and although he missed with his first effort, he tapped in for par to claim his second title on the PGA Tour.

Molder was superb on the front nine as he shot five birdies to close out his round.

Danny Lee: Poor Danny Lee. It looked like he was going to lose on the first playoff hole when his second shot landed in the palmetto bushes, but he saved par.

Third-round leader James Hahn shot 74, putting him in a tie for seventh, one shot behind Mickelson.

Andrade had a chance to win in regulation but missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. There’s just not been much leaderboard movement and the two top names within striking distance, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, had not done much.