MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hideki Matsuyama misplaced his pockets, his caddie and his coach for the beginning of the FedEx Cup playoffs when thieves in London snatched their bag containing passports, however none of that appeared to trouble the Japanese star Thursday at the beginning of the PGA Tour’s postseason.
Chris Kirk made a hole-in-one on his strategy to a 6-under 64 for a one-shot lead within the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Olympic gold medalist Scottie Scheffler and double main winner Xander Schauffele, one of the best two gamers in golf, had been proper within the combine as anticipated.
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The shock in some respects was Matsuyama, the Olympic bronze medalist who has had loads of distractions since leaving Paris and nonetheless motored across the TPC Southwind on a sweltering day for a 65.
“I’ve forgotten it utterly. It isn’t even a difficulty now,” Matsuyama mentioned via his interpreter.
He stopped over in London with caddie Shota Hayato and his swing coach, Mikihito Kuromiya. They had been having dinner on the town when Matsuyama mentioned his caddie observed the bag was not there. The contents included Matsuyama’s pockets, and the passports of Hayato and Kuromiya. Matsuyama had left his passport — and his bronze medal — in his lodge room.
“It was an unlucky state of affairs,” Matsuyama mentioned. “Fortunately, I solely misplaced my pockets, however Shota, my caddie, and the coach, misplaced their passports, and we’re making an attempt laborious now to get their visas again in line. And, hopefully, we will be part of as a crew as quickly as doable.”
Within the meantime, he lined up Taiga Tabuchi, who had been caddying on the Japan LPGA not too long ago and had labored with Ryo Hisatsune on the PGA Tour earlier this 12 months.
New caddie, standard Hideki. The 2021 Masters champion has been constructing momentum over the previous month. After hitting into the water and taking bogey on the par-5 third gap, he answered with loads of birdies — 4 in a five-hole stretch on the again 9, for a 65.
“My job is identical. It is simply play golf,” Matsuyama mentioned. “I speak to my coach each night time on the telephone. I’ve obtained a fantastic caddie — Taiga did a fantastic job at the moment. So we’ll simply see the way it goes.”
Hayato hopes to be again on the bag on the Tour Championship, with Matsuyama at No. 8 within the FedEx Cup and warranted of being there.
That is not the case for Kirk, who’s No. 28 within the standings. The highest 50 after this week advance to the BMW Championship exterior Denver, after which the highest 30 from there go to Atlanta.
Kirk had taken the early lead with a birdie on the twelfth when he pulled 6-iron — an ideal membership contemplating a warmth index that topped 100 levels that made the ball go a bit of bit farther. It landed in entrance of the pin and rolled in like a putt for an ace.
“I used to be trying a bit of additional left than that with water on the suitable, however as quickly as I hit it, I hit it simply how I needed to,” Kirk mentioned. “Regarded up, noticed it began a contact proper however was drawing proper again to it. Yeah, good bonus.”
He left one alternative on the market by needing two chips to achieve the inexperienced on the par-5 sixteenth, the best gap on the TPC Southwind, and a drive right into a bunker on the 18th saved him from reaching the inexperienced and led to his solely bogey of the spherical.
Taylor Pendrith of Canada and Matthieu Pavon of France, each first-time winners on the PGA Tour this 12 months, joined Matsuyama at 65.
The massive group at 66 included Scheffler and Schauffele, who’ve mixed for 3 of the 4 majors, eight PGA Tour titles and simply over $44 million in earnings this 12 months.
Schauffele began with three straight birdies, cooled barely and picked up a late birdie on the sixteenth for a bogey-free spherical. Scheffler had 4 birdies via six holes, his lone bogey approaching a poor greenside bunker shot on the twelfth.
Associates within the first place, they grew a bit of nearer via three days of observe rounds and a few cash video games at Le Golf Nationwide resulting in the Olympics. Schauffele shared the 54-hole lead on the Olympics. Scheffler closed with a 62 and gained the gold.
“It is enjoyable competing with your mates, however we need to beat up on one another,” Scheffler mentioned. “So it is a whole lot of enjoyable enjoying with one of the best gamers and competing.”
Justin Rose (No. 55) and Ben Griffin (No. 56) obtained off to splendid begins of their bid to get into the highest 50 and preserve their seasons going, each a part of the group at 66.
Jordan Spieth is No. 63 and opened with a 68, making two bogeys from the green on the again 9 that slowed his progress.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
