Hideki Matsuyama rewrote the tournament record for the lowest 72-hole stroke total by one with a 23-under-par 265, leading all four days en route to victory at the Taiheiyo Masters golf tournament Sunday.
The seven-shot victory over South Korean Song Young-han at Taiheiyo Club in Shizuoka Prefecture was Matsuyama's third victory in his last four tournaments after having won the Japan Open on the Japan tour and HSBC Champions on the U.S. tour, both last month.
On the final day of action in Shizuoka Prefecture, Matsuyama carded seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey for a round of 69 to win the tourney for the first time since 2011 and highlight his four-week dominant showing in which he earned a total of about ¥330 million in prize money.
"I'm happy," said Matsuyama, who was only 19 when he won the Taiheiyo Masters as an amateur five years ago. "Maybe it felt a bit easier (to win here) after having had the experience of playing overseas."
Matsuyama, who had a six-shot lead over Song when he teed off, allowed the South Korean to close to within three shots before the turn, but regained his momentum after sinking an 8-inch birdie putt on the par-3 13th before a gallery of 7,117.
"I heard encouraging words and that helped me. In Japan if I have one good day I can win, but in the U.S. I have to have three good days to win. I hope to keep on working hard so that I can win a major title," he said.
Satoshi Kodaira and Kim Seung-hyuk of South Korea were tied for third at 273.
Yuta Ikeda, who is ranked second in the Japan Golf Tour Organization's money list, finished in a three-way tie for 12th with an 11-under 277.