Frustrated Hideki Falls Agonisingly Short
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Chicago, Illinois, United States: Hideki Matsuyama settled for joint third place for the second successive year at the BMW Championship, finishing two shots behind winner Jon Rahm who triumphed at Olympia Fields after snaring a 66-foot birdie putt for a play-off win over Dustin Johnson.

Two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner Matsuyama entered the final day tied for the overnight lead with Johnson. But a closing one-under 69 in the penultimate FedEx Cup Play-offs event left him frustrated in his bid for a sixth PGA Tour victory.

His fifth top-10 of the season saw the 28-year-old Japanese rise eight rungs to 10th place in the FedEx Cup points list where he will start next week’s Play-off Finale, the Tour Championship at four-under in the staggered start format. He will be six shots behind Johnson who will begin the season-ending tournament with a 10-under score by virtue of being number one on the FedEx Cup points list.

Birdies on the second, sixth and 15th were offset by bogeys on the third and 11th. On another day of tough scoring, Matsuyama found only seven fairways and 10 greens in regulation during his final round.

“It was a really disappointing result today. But I will reset for next week and try to do my best,” said Matsuyama, who has qualified for his seventh successive Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta.

“I did a good job of playing patient golf in very tough conditions this week. But I realise my long game needs some refinement to play well at East Lake so I will rest and put in time to practice before next week.”

Korean Im Sung-jae will join Matsuyama on four-under at the Tour Championship after locking in ninth position on the FedEx Cup points list following the BMW Championship. He shot a 69 with three birdies and two bogeys for his lone sub-par round at Olympia Fields and settled for tied 56th position.

Countryman An Byeong-hun made a gallant attempt to break into the top-30 of the FedEx Cup points list but came up just short despite a strong weekend where he posted a pair of 68s for tied 12th place. He finished 33rd on the points list, three rungs outside the qualifying mark for the Tour Championship.

Rahm closed with a 64 to force a play-off with Johnson, who had to make a 45-foot curling putt on the 18th hole in regulation to stay in the tournament. The Spaniard then produced a magical stroke of his own in the first extra hole to earn his fifth PGA Tour title. The 25-year-old Spaniard moved into second place on the FedEx Cup points list and will start the Tour Championship two shots behind Johnson when the first round begins on Friday.