Hideki Matsuyama overcomes wobble to win St Jude, Power secures top-10 finish

Hideki Matsuyama overcame a dramatic back nine implosion to win the FedEx St Jude Championship with back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to claim a two stroke victory from Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.

Matsuyama, who took a five-stroke lead into the fourth round at TPC Southwind, looked as though he might throw the title away when, having picked up two birdies as he left the 11th green at 19 under par, he surrendered four shots in as many holes.

Officials spoke to the 32-year-old about a potential infringement over replacing a divot on the green on an earlier hole as the Japanese golf headed to the 12th tee.

It clearly affected him as he bogeyed that hole before dropping another at the par-three 14th after finding water with his tee-shot, and he then double bogeyed the 15th to relinquish the lead.

With things unravelling for Matsuyama, a resurgent Viktor Hovland briefly took the lead, the Norwegian rattling in five birdies in nine holes to nudge in front on 16-under. However, that was cue to drop a stroke at the next, a sloppy bunker shot resulting in a bogey at the 17th.

Hovland fell back into a three-way tie for the lead with the stuttering Matsuyama and Schauffele, whose stunning turn of form in 2024 showed no sign of abating with a blemish free closing 63.

A playoff appeared likely but Matsuyama somehow composed himself to drain a 26-footer on the 71st to re-gain the lead. Once again, emboldened he split the fairway with an unerring drive down the treacherous 18th, subsequently sinking a five-footer to seal a hard-fought win, his ninth on the PGA Tour.

World number one Scottie Scheffler was a further shot behind in fourth and fellow American Nick Dunlap, who started the day as Matsuyama's closest, yet still