'Masters Champ' Matsuyama Leads "First Win at Home in Sight~"... Kim Siwoo 24th

PGA Tour 2021/2022 Season 5th Event Zozo Championship Day 3: Tringale 1 Stroke Behind in 2nd Place, Contending for Victory

‘Masters Champ’ Hideki Matsuyama is teeing off on the 10th hole on the third day of the Zozo Championship. Japan=Getty Images/Multibits

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] ‘Masters Champion’ Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) has taken the lead.

On the 23rd, at Accordia Golf Narashino Golf Club in Chiba Prefecture, Japan (Par 70, 7,041 yards), during the third day of the PGA Tour 2021/2022 season’s 5th event, the Zozo Championship (total prize money $9.95 million), Matsuyama posted 2-under par to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard for the second consecutive day (10-under par 200 strokes). He is challenging to avenge his runner-up finish behind the inaugural champion, ‘Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods (USA), when the tournament was first established in 2019. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held in the United States, but this year it has returned to Japan.

Matsuyama notably made history last April as the first Asian player to become a ‘Masters Champion,’ achieving a remarkable milestone. His strong start with 6-under par on the first day stood out, followed by 2-under par on the second day to share the lead. On this day, he ultimately rose to a one-stroke lead. Four birdies and two bogeys, including a bogey on the final 18th hole (par 5), left some regrets. Cameron Tringale (USA, 9-under par 201 strokes), in second place, narrowed the gap to one stroke with a birdie on the 18th hole.

Sebastian Munoz (Colombia), Brendon Steele (USA), and Matt Wallace (England) are tied for third place (6-under par 204 strokes), Brendon Grace (South Africa) and Tommy Fleetwood (England) are tied for sixth place (5-under par 205 strokes), and world No. 3 Collin Morikawa (USA) is in eighth place (4-under par 206 strokes). From Korea, Kim Si-woo (26) performed well, tied for 24th place (even par 210 strokes), while Lee Kyung-hoon (30) is tied for 32nd place (1-over par 211 strokes), and Kang Sung-hoon (34, both from CJ Logistics) fell to a tie for 59th place (7-over par 147 strokes).