Hideki Matsuyama has shown nerves of steel after almost blowing a five-stroke lead in the final round of the 2024 St. Jude Championship to claim a two-shot victory. Matsuyama, who won bronze at the Olympics earlier this month, entered the last day at TPC Southwind in a comfortable position with the biggest 54-hole margin of the season. But his lead was quickly trimmed to four when he missed a birdie from 10 feet as Nick Dunlap, who was Matsuyama’s closest rival, opened with a birdie to close the gap.

Still, Matsuyama was in a strong position, especially as Dunlap started to have issues of his own converting from close range, missing a seven-foot birdie to stay four off the lead. Matsuyama’s lead was back to five strokes entering the final nine holes of the day, but that was where it started to take a turn for the Japanese star. The leader bogeyed on the 12th and 14th holes before a double bogey on the 15th suddenly had Matsuyama trailing as Victor Hovland and Xander Schauffele surged.

Hovland had six birdies and two bogeys on the day to rise up the leaderboard but it was Schauffele’s rise to contention that was particularly impressive given he started the round nine behind Matsuyama. The American was faultless on Monday, recording seven birdies to finish with a final-round 63 and enter the clubhouse with the lead at 15-under overall.

That lead was quickly in jeopardy as an impressive Hovland shot from the rough on the 18th hole put him just nine feet away from a birdie that would have knocked Schauffele out of contention. Hovland could not convert, however, leaving him tied alongside Schauffele at 15-under heading into the clubhouse. He did not have the lead though, with Matsuyama recovering to drain a clutch birdie from beyond 25 feet on the 17th, giving him a one-stroke lead heading into the final — and most difficult — hole on the course.

But Matsuyama showed no signs of hesitation on the 18th with a massive shot to set himself up for a birdie and he drained it to seal the win. The victory vaulted him five spots up the FedEx Cup rankings to third position. The Top 50 players in those rankings after Monday’s final round went through to next week’s BMW Championship, where that number will be trimmed down to the Top 30 ahead of the Tour Championship, where there will be a share of US$100 million (A$151m) in the FedEx Cup Playoffs prize pool on the line.

How the Australians Fared

Three of four Australians have progressed to next week’s BMW Championship, with Min Woo Lee the only one to miss out despite a strong final day on the course. Lee went into the tournament sitting 62nd and needing to finish in a two-way tie for 17th at minimum to leap into the top 50. He hit a four-under par 66 on the final round to finish in a tie for 22nd at four-under overall, but that was only good enough to see him sit 60th in the FedEx Cup standings.

Jason Day was the best-placed of the Australians at 26th position heading to TPC Southwind and finished level with Lee, which was more than enough to see him move on. Day is the only Australian currently sitting inside the Top 30 entering the BMW Championship, where that is the cut-off for moving onto the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

Adam Scott and Cam Davis were far from guaranteed a top-50 finish in the FedEx Cup standings before this weekend, sitting 46th and 44th respectively. Scott fired a three-under par 67 in the final round to finish in a tie for 18th on the leaderboard, moving him up to 41st in the FedEx Cup standings. It was a much closer call for Davis, who needed a big day to stay in the running and also finished the round three-under to move up to 40th overall.

Still, it left Davis waiting on other results to see if he would move onto the BMW Championship and scraped through in 49th after Tom Kim, who looked in a strong position to qualify, bogeyed on his final three holes. Davis himself had a brutal break on his final hole of the day, sending his tee shot right and then his second into the water on the way to recording a double bogey on the 18th.

Matsuyama's Comeback & The Drama

Matsuyama's victory was all the more impressive given the drama that unfolded on the back nine. After starting the day with a five-shot lead, Matsuyama bogeyed the 12th and 14th holes before a disastrous double bogey on the 15th. He was briefly overtaken by Viktor Hovland, who was playing brilliantly and had a chance to secure the win with a birdie on the 18th.

However, Hovland missed his putt, leaving the door open for Matsuyama. The Japanese star, who was clearly rattled by his earlier struggles, showed remarkable composure to birdie the 17th and 18th holes, sealing his 10th PGA Tour victory. His birdie on the final hole was especially impressive, as he hit a massive shot to set himself up for a birdie putt that he calmly sank.

Matsuyama's win was also notable for the fact that it came just days after he and his team were victims of a robbery in London. While the incident was undoubtedly a setback, Matsuyama's ability to bounce back and win the tournament is a testament to his mental toughness. This comeback win demonstrates the resilience of the Japanese star.

Top 50 Drama

The drama wasn't just at the top of the leaderboard. Several players battled for a spot in the Top 50, which would qualify them for the BMW Championship.

Players like Nick Dunlap, Cam Davis and Max Greyserman all secured their spots, while Tom Kim, who was in a strong position to qualify, missed out after a disastrous final three holes.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are always full of drama, but this year's St. Jude Championship was particularly exciting. Matsuyama's comeback victory, Hovland's near miss, and the drama down the leaderboard all made for an unforgettable tournament. The stage is now set for the BMW Championship, where the top 30 players will advance to the Tour Championship.

The Road Ahead

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are now down to the final two events: the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship. With a share of US$100 million on the line, the competition is sure to be intense. Matsuyama, Hovland, and Schauffele are all in contention for the FedEx Cup title, but there are several other players who could make a late charge. The BMW Championship promises to be an exciting week of golf, and the Tour Championship will be the ultimate showdown for the FedEx Cup title.