Matsuyama breaks PGA TOUR score-to-par record to win The Sentry
Take a bow, Hideki Matsuyama.
The 32-year-old set a new PGA TOUR record for the lowest score in relation to par by going 35-under to win The Sentry on Sunday in the TOUR's season opener.
It's the eighth finish of 30-under or better since 1983 when the TOUR began using electronic score keeping and second this week after runner-up Collin Morikawa's 32-under.
"Excuse my language, but f--k, 35-under-par, that's low," Morikawa said, per Sirius XM's Jason Sobel.
Seven of the PGA TOUR's sub-30-under finishes have come at the rare par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua, which is incredibly gettable when there's little wind, as was the case this week. Cam Smith previously held the record at 34-under, set at The Sentry Tournament of Champions in 2022.
| Player | Event | Course (par) | To Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hideki Matsuyama | 2025 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -35 |
| Cam Smith | 2022 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -34 |
| Jon Rahm | 2022 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -33 |
| Collin Morikawa | 2025 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -32 |
| Matt Jones | 2022 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -32 |
| Ernie Els | 2003 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -31 |
| Dustin Johnson | 2020 Northern Trust | TPC Boston (71) | -30 |
| Jordan Spieth | 2016 Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course (73) | -30 |
Sungjae Im nearly joined the 30-under club this week, finishing in third place behind Matsuyama and Morikawa at 29-under.
Matsuyama made an 8-footer for birdie on No. 18 to accomplish the feat, capping the week with his third round of 65. He shot 62 on Saturday.
Another win and new PGA TOUR record for @HidekiOfficial_ 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Mz6lwsiMGn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 6, 2025
It's Matsuyama's 11th career victory and third in the last calendar year after winning in 2024 Genesis Invitational in February and the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August.
The Sentry is a signature event with a purse of $20 million - $3.6 million of which went to Matsuyama.
Matsuyama will have a chance to join Justin Thomas (2017) and Ernie Els (2003) as the only players ever to win both of the PGA TOUR's Hawaii tournaments in the same season at next week's Sony Open in Oahu. Matsuyama won the event in 2022.