Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama won the PGA's 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship, earning $3.6 million, after being robbed in an airport.
Matsuyama and his team were robbed during a layover in London. His coach and caddie had their passports stolen, and returned to Japan.
Matsuyama was on a positive momentum after winning the bronze medal at the Olympics two weeks prior. Matsuyama's wallet was stolen at the airport, but his Olympic medal was not taken.
The total purse for the FedEx St. Jude Championship is $20 million, and Matsuyama advanced to the BMW Championship and aims to qualify for the Tour Championship for a chance at winning £19.3 million.
He won the tournament by two strokes after a comeback victory in the final round, securing his 10th PGA tour title with a 17-under 263 score.
Matsuyama led by five strokes heading into the final round but fought back after dropping four shots in as many holes, nearly throwing the title away before securing victory with crucial birdies at the last two holes.
He held a news conference after his victory, which guarantees him eligibility for tournaments until 2025 and membership exemption until 2029.
He made a critical birdie on the 17th hole to regain the lead and another on the 18th hole to clinch the victory, his tenth Tour win, including two this season.
Matsuyama competed without his usual caddie, using Taiga Tabuchi as a stand-in, and compared their synergy to his early days with his regular caddie.
He now ranks on top of the FedExCup standings with two playoff tournaments left, while Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele remain in the top spots.
Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland shared runner-up honors at the tournament. Scottie Scheffler finished a shot behind in fourth place, and Nick Dunlap tied for fifth with Sam Burns, securing his place in the FedEx top 50 and next week's BMW Championship.
He expressed relief and focus on the final two holes after the win, which elevated him to third place in the FedEx Cup playoffs points list.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: SBNation, Dailymail, FoxNews, Sportstar, AthlonSports, PGATour, Outkick, Mirror, ExpressandStar, The Mirror, Talk Sport, Golf Magic, Fox40, HeadTopics.