Golf

Hideki Matsuyama leads by five shots at FedEx St Jude Championship

Matsuyama continued to defy the absence of his regular caddy and coach after their passports were stolen in London to take control at TPC Southwind.

Olympic bronze medallist Hideki Matsuyama leads the FedEx St Jude Championship
Olympic bronze medallist Hideki Matsuyama leads the FedEx St Jude Championship (John Walton/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

Hideki Matsuyama has moved five shots clear at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round of the FedEx St Jude Championship.

Matsuyama continued to defy the absence of his regular caddy and coach after their passports were stolen in London to take control of the event at TPC Southwind.

The highlight of the Japanese 32-year-old’s third round was an eagle on the third, while he also produced five birdies and a solitary bogey in his six-under 64.

America’s Nick Dunlap is his closest rival after he shot 66 to move to 12 under par, with Viktor Hovland of Norway a shot behind in third.

Matsuyama admitted he was “surprised” to have opened such a healthy lead after changing putters at the start of the week.

“I’ve had the putter for a while, and I thought it might be a good week to debut that putter,” he said.

Defending FedEx Cup champion Hovland admitted the “ball is starting to behave like I’m expecting it to” after starting the week outside the top 50 in the rankings who qualify for next week’s BMW Championship in Colorado.

Rory McIlroy continued to struggle with double bogeys on the 12 and 13th holes leaving him on five over and tied in 66th place.