Hideki Matsuyama jokingly admits to delaying his FedEx St.Jude Championship celebrations for his favorite food joint to open
Hideki Matsuyama postponed his victory celebration after triumphing at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The Japanese golfer won the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs with a phenomenal victory over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, finishing two strokes ahead.
However, Hideki Matsuyama delayed his celebration as his favorite food shop, Chick-fil-A, was closed on Sunday. During the post-round interview, Matsuyama admitted that he enjoys celebrating his wins with Chick-fil-A. Since the fast-food restaurant is closed on Sundays, he planned to celebrate on Monday once the shop opened.
"I had Chick-fil-A last night, and in Denver, I think they have Chick-fil-A, so that's probably where I'll celebrate tomorrow," Matsuyama said (via PGA Tour on X).
Hideki Matsuyama secured an easy win at the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship. He entered the final round with an impressive five-stroke lead, shot a 70 on Sunday, and registered a two-stroke victory. With this win, Matsuyama earned $3.6 million in prize money, along with 2,000 FedEx Cup points, and moved up to third place in the FedEx Cup standings.
All about Hideki Matsuyama's performance at the 2024 FedEx St Jude Championship 2024
Hideki Matsuyama started his campaign at the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship with a round of 65 on Thursday, August 15. In the first round, he shot three birdies and a bogey on the front nine, followed by four birdies and one bogey on the back nine for a 5-under 65.
In the second round, Matsuyama opened with a birdie on the first hole and added another birdie on the third hole. He carded a bogey on the fourth but responded with back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth holes. On the front nine, he made five birdies and two bogeys, then added two more birdies on the back nine for a 6-under 64.
Matsuyama began the third round with a birdie on the first hole, followed by a bogey on the next. He shot an eagle on the third hole and a birdie on the seventh. He added three more birdies in the round for another 6-under 64. In the final round, Matsuyama shot four birdies, one bogey, and a double bogey for an even-par 70, securing the victory.
This was Matsuyama's second win of the season, having previously won the Genesis Invitational Open. He also won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics earlier this month.
Additionally, this victory marked his tenth PGA Tour win. Matsuyama shared a post on Instagram celebrating his incredible win, thanking his fans and his last-minute caddie, Taiga Tabuchi, for being by his side this week.
Hideki Matsuyama was robbed at the London airport during a layover while heading to the FedEx St. Jude Championship. His regular caddie, Shota Hayato, lost his passport in the incident and had to return to Japan to expedite the document. Taiga Tabuchi stepped in to replace Hayato for the first FedEx playoff, and fortunately, the Japanese golfer went on to win the tournament.
"A memorable 10th victory on the tour! There were some hiccups last week, but thanks to everyone's support, I was able to get through it. Special thanks to Taiga who caddied for me this week. Your support was amazing!" Matsuyama wrote on Instgaram.
Hideki Matsuyama will next compete at the 2024 BMW Championship, starting Thursday, August 22.