Hideki Matsuyama survived a back nine near-collapse to recover and win the PGA Tour’s St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Sunday. The 32-year-old from Japan began the day with a five shot lead and was two-under for his round until he got into trouble with bogeys on the 12th and 14th and then a double bogey on the par-4 15th. That allowed Xander Schauffele, who had started the day nine shots off the lead, and Norway’s Viktor Hovland to join in him in a three-way share of the lead on 15-under. But with a possible three-way playoff or even worse looming for Matsuyama, he rediscovered his touch in the nick of time. He sank a 26-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th to regain the lead and, with his rivals already in the clubhouse, needed just a par on the 18th to clinch the first of the three events that make up the FedEx Cup playoffs. There was no sign of nerves, however, as he attacked the par-4 final hole, making birdie to end on 17-under with Schauffele and Hovland tied second. “After the 14th hole, I was still two up, but I knew Viktor and Xander were playing 15, 16 ahead of me. I figured they would both get to 16-under. So when I was playing the 16th hole and looked at the scoreboard, sure enough, they were both at 16-under and I was a stroke back,” said Matsuyama. “I felt today’s victory slipping away at that point because 17 and 18 are difficult holes enough, let alone to birdie them. “But I was fortunate enough to birdie 17. Immediately I thought, oh, man, this is going to be a tough tee shot at 18. I’ve got to keep it in the fairway. I’m grateful I was able to do it,” he said.