Dopo Tsubasa Kajitani, Hideki Matsuyama: it is 2021 of Japan in world golf.
L’Augusta Masters it ends in fact with a double, unexpected triumph of the Rising Sun, in the female and male field.
These were two unexpected successes, which came at the end of very exciting final laps.
Indeed, in the case of Kajitani it went even beyond the final lap, as the 21-year-old got the better of Emilia Migliaccio after the first hole of the play-off, after both had closed at 217 strokes (+1). A bogey of the American decided the contest, freeing the joy of the Japanese: “I cannot describe my happiness, this is a unique victory”.
Matsuyama is not so first-rate, who is 29 years old and who thanks to this victory rises to number 14 in the world ranking, but Hideki was certainly not the favorite on the eve.
And instead here is the dazzling smile of the Japanese, who seemed to have the title in hand after driving firmly on the last day with six strokes of advantage, before suffering a failure (emotional?) Caused by a double bogey at 15 for a too powerful blow that ended up in the water.
Thus, with the Japanese at -12 and the American Xander Schauffele at -10 thanks to a series of six consecutive birdies the final was throbbing, but the too short tee shot found by Schauffele in the last hole with obstacles freed the joy of Hideki, who finished at -10, also causing the American to lose second place, which ended up with his compatriot Will Zalatoris (-9).
Third, tied with Schauffele, is Jordan Spieth, both at -7 in front of the Spaniard Jon Rahm, the best of the last day with -6 and who finished in cohabitation with the Australian Marc Leishman.
Only seventh Justin Rose, but far worse at Francesco Molinari, who with a bad last lap lost 31 positions compared to Saturday, finishing only 52nd.
The 2021 of world golf therefore sees the rise of the rising sun. All right in the year of Olympic Games of Tokyo, for which the number of favorites is therefore expanding.
The only Asian capable of winning a major so far had been the Korean Yang Yong-eun who in 2009 triumphed at the PGA Championship.
In Tokyo, men’s golf will return after a very long absence, since the last time dates back to 1904 a Saint Louis. In campo female, however, the medals had already been awarded in 2016 in Rio, with an almost entirely Asian podium, as the gold went to the Korean Park In-bee ahead of the New Zealander Lydia Ko, but of South Korean origins, and the Chinese Feng Shanshan.
OMNISPORT | 12-04-2021 07:56
Fonte: Getty Images – – .
