Hideki Matsuyama Hero World Challenge Tiger Woods

Hideki Matsuyama Closes His Season With a Hero World Challenge Win After Playoff Thriller Over Alex Noren

Hideki Matsuyama opened 2025 by torching Kapalua and setting the PGA Tour scoring record at 35-under. Eleven months later, he slammed the book shut on his season the same way he started it: going nuclear on island golf.

Hideki Matsuyama fired a final-round 64 at Albany in the Bahamas, then buried a three-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole to beat Alex Noren and win the Hero World Challenge at 22-under. It’s his second career Hero title (his first came in 2016), and the $1 million check probably doesn’t hurt either.

Hideki Matsuyama HOOPS IT from 116 yards

Tiger Woods told Hideki Matsuyama on Sunday morning to “go shoot 10-under.” Hideki almost did. He was eight under through 13, lost steam coming in, and still walked off the 18th green with the trophy.

Noren’s Late Charge Forces Extras

Alex Noren, in the field on a sponsor exemption, matched Matsuyama’s 64 and birdied three of his final four holes to tie him at 22-under.

The playoff ended quickly though. Matsuyama stuffed a 9-iron from 166 yards “a perfect distance,” while Noren’s birdie look from 25 feet slid by.

Hideki Matsuyama with a club twirl DART

Noren didn’t sound too heartbroken. “I’m really proud of myself,” he said. “You’ve got to hit the shots out here.” And he did.

Straka, Scheffler Fall Short

Sepp Straka began the day with the lead, stretched it to three, and then watched Matsuyama erase it with the shot of the tournament: a hole-out eagle from 116 yards on the 10th. Straka birdied 18 for a 68 and finished solo third at 19-under.

Scottie Scheffler is at the top of the Hero World Challenge leaderboard after Round 1

Scottie Scheffler? He called it an “unbelievable” day, but not in the way he meant. He chopped up the par-5 11th, killing any chance of a three-peat at Tiger’s event. He still shot 68 and finished T-4 at 20-under with U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun, but it was easily his worst week in the Bahamas.

“I played better than my score,” Scheffler said. “Didn’t hole many putts. A couple poor breaks. That’s how it shook out.”

When Scottie says that, you know he’s annoyed.

A Needed Rebound for Hideki

With the exception of his record-setting win at Kapalua, Hideki Matsuyama’s season has been a grind. He didn’t record another top-10 all year, and he admitted he leaned heavily on nightly conversations with his swing coach back in Japan.

This event clearly means something to him. “Tiger is my idol,” Matsuyama said. “Nine years ago was the first time I got a picture with Tiger. I want more pictures with Tiger. That’s why I play well in Tiger’s event.”

Island golf also seems to help.

The only downside is that he won’t get the chance to defend his Sentry title in January, with the Plantation Course at Kapalua still shut down due to drought-related damage.

Hideki started the year by breaking records and finished it by winning Tiger’s tournament in a playoff. For a guy who spent most of the season searching for answers, that’s a pretty strong way to close the book.

If he ever finds that Kapalua gear again, 2026 could get interesting.

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