Hideki Matsuyama (-17) has left the Fedex St. Jude Championship on the verge of victory after delivering a scorecard of 64 strokes on the third day. Tomorrow he starts with a five-stroke lead over his immediate pursuer, Nick Dunlap (-12) and it doesn’t seem even remotely possible that the Japanese player will let the victory slip away.
Watch out: it would be Matsuyama’s first victory in the Fedex Cup play-offs, which is almost a joke. Firstly, considering the more than proven quality of this player and how well he usually performs under pressure. But also, Hideki is playing the 34th play-off of his career. Since 2014, in fact, he has played all but two and doesn’t even have a second place in this stretch of the season…
It’s never too late. He was already the first Japanese to win a Major, so it’s normal that he should also be the first to win a Fedex Cup play-off. And we’ll see if he even dares to shout bingo and take the big prize, because if he wins this Sunday he will be in third position in the ranking…
Matsuyama has been putting today like a killer. He continues to be the best in this department. In this third round, he has also been the best in the second shot statistic. He has been throwing darts at the TPC Southwind, nothing that surprises anyone with this player, a formidable opponent when he heats up with the irons. He only sees the flag, even when he shoots from two to green on the par 5s.
In this version of the leader, a Scottie Scheffler (-10) fighting to death with his putter had little to do. Not even he can face such a display of play from the 61st position in the Strokes Gained:putting statistic of the day (he is 37th in the total of the three rounds). The Texan, moreover, has been seen at times almost desperate on the greens, nothing that surprises anyone either. He starts seven strokes from the lead, but it would be normal to see him fighting at least for the second place, which is not bad in a field where he had never finished in the top ten. In this field, sooner or later, the plan always goes awry in some way, although his first position in the Fedex ranking is not in danger at all.
It is worth paying attention to Viktor Hovland (-11), who has been seen to have good rounds this year, but not so much two in a row. Well, to Friday’s 63 he has chained a notable 66 and, now yes, seems to be taking off just in time to put a more decorous (even outstanding) end to a rather stinky season. For now, and barring a Sunday slip, it seems that he will be in the next play-off, the one next week, which he did not have guaranteed in any way (the top 50 enter and he arrived 57th), although the great comeback of the week in the ranking corresponds for now to Nick Dunlap, who arrived in 67th place in the Fedex at this event and would now be 12th.
And there, in the depths of the table, Jordan Spieth (+7) bids farewell to the season. He badly needs a break, among other things to fully heal that injured wrist that is causing him so much trouble.
