Matsuyama smashes The Sentry

The PGA Tour season is annually kicked off with The Sentry, held at the picturesque Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was the first tour winner of 2025, having pulled ahead of Collin Morikawa to win the tournament on 8-under-par.

Matsuyama was hot straight out the gate by carding a 65 on his opening round that included a straight run of four birdies in his front 9, and ending with an eagle between two birdies through holes 14-16.

He proceeded to play flawless world-class golf with a following 8-under par bogey-free second round and an astonishing 11-under-par third round. Being in the enviable position of entering his final round on 27-under-par, Matsuyama was on track to break Cameron Smith’s course record of 34 he set in 2022.

He needed another excellent card of 65, and as it happened, he was on 7-under-par as he stepped onto the 18^th hole for the final time. A huge 678-yard par-5, the closing hole at the Plantation Course demands players hit it far off the tee and land their second shots on a green flanked by multiple bunkers.

Having found a comfortable position on the fairway with his drive, Matsuyama landed his second shot carefully to the right of the left-sloping green. A simple greenside chip left him with a tap-in putt for a birdie to secure the tournament with a win on 35-under-par.

A stellar performance from start to finish, Matsuyama was thrilled to have started his 2025 season with such a colossal win “That last putt, it felt like if I made it, it’s going to be the record, so I’m happy that it went in. I was able to get a great off-season and get a fresh start this week and play well, so it’s a great way to start.”

If you’re watching the greats of the game at home thinking you’d love to strike the ball like they do, why not set yourself some goals for the year ahead to help you get your game in shape? We’re always ready in the pro shop to help you play better and get more enjoyment out of the game of golf.