A dramatic shift in the WM Phoenix Open leaderboard! Hideki Matsuyama has seized a one-shot lead heading into the final round, but the tension is palpable with the world's top player, Scottie Scheffler, hot on his heels. This is the kind of showdown golf fans live for!
Despite a few missed opportunities in the closing holes, Matsuyama managed to post a 3-under par 68 on Saturday, bringing his total score to a formidable 13-under 200 on the challenging Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale. It wasn't a flawless round, mind you. He couldn't quite get up and down from near the green on the short par-4 17th, and a 15-foot birdie putt lipped out on the 18th. These are the tiny margins that can make or break a tournament!
But here's where it gets interesting... Matsuyama, a two-time champion at this very event, was neck-and-neck with his countryman Ryo Hisatsune after 17 holes. However, a crucial bogey on the 18th for Hisatsune, after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker, handed Matsuyama the outright lead. Hisatsune, who had a stellar 63 in the second round to lead after day two, finished his third round with a 70, placing him at 12-under par.
And this is the part most people miss... While Matsuyama and Hisatsune battled, other contenders were making serious moves. Nicolai Højgaard put on a clinic with five birdies in his final six holes, carding a bogey-free 65. Maverick McNealy also found his stride, stringing together four birdies in five holes on the back nine for his own 65. Meanwhile, Si Woo Kim made an eagle on the par-5 third hole and finished with a 66, joining Højgaard and McNealy at 12-under par.
The storyline of Matsuyama and Hisatsune was particularly compelling, as Hisatsune's second-round surge set up a highly anticipated final pairing. However, the front nine proved to be a bit of a mixed bag for both. Matsuyama started strong with birdies on three of his first four holes, including a 27-footer on the par-3 fourth, but bogeys on the 2nd and 5th holes kept him from truly pulling away. He made the turn at 1-under par 34. Hisatsune, on the other hand, turned in even par, with two birdies and two pars.
On the back nine, Matsuyama birdied the par-4 10th and added another with a two-putt on the par-5 13th to reach 13-under, but then played five straight pars. Hisatsune also birdied the 10th and managed to get up and down for birdie on the short par-4 17th to tie for the lead, only to miss a short 8-foot par putt on the 18th.
Now, let's talk about Scottie Scheffler. The world number one is lurking just five shots off the lead after a solid 67. He's been making some impressive plays, including a bunker shot for birdie on the 10th, which was part of a streak of two consecutive birdies. He also birdied both back-nine par-5s. But even the best have their moments... Scheffler stumbled with a three-putt bogey on the par-3 12th and then stalled out on the closing holes, missing birdie putts on 16 and 18, and failing to get up and down on the 17th. This resilience from Scheffler, even with a few hiccups, is why he's the top player.
So, what do you think? Is Hideki Matsuyama's one-shot lead enough to hold off the charging Scottie Scheffler and the other talented players at 12-under? Or will the pressure of the final round lead to more unexpected twists and turns? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!
