It was a perfect cap to a roller-coaster 2025 for Hideki Matsuyama. At the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas this weekend, he fired a scintillating final-round 8-under 64 to join 54-hole leader Alex Noren at 22-under par — sending the tournament to sudden-death. On the first playoff hole, Matsuyama calmly landed a 9-iron to within two feet and drained the birdie putt to seize his second Hero World Challenge title
What made the finish even more dramatic: on the par-5 10th earlier in the day, Matsuyama holed out from 116 yards for eagle. Dunk city. A shot that vaulted him into the lead and set the tone for the win.
Despite the pressure, the 2021 Masters champion delivered a bogey-free round, showing once again why he’s considered one of the best ball-strikers in the game.
On the course, peer respect was quietly evident. Over at the broadcast studio, analysts from Golf Channel said Matsuyama’s precise, composed play under pressure makes him “so much fun to watch on the PGA Tour.”
Hideki has always been considered a favorite by most of his peers on the PGA Tour. He is proof that not everyone out there is solely cutthroat, only focused on crushing par and their opponents. Golf is a game meant to be played with friends and family. To many, Hideki is just that. Family.
Why do his brethren care so much for him? Here’s our take:
- Quiet & Humble: He’s respected for being reserved, polite, and focused on golf rather than fame.
- Incredible Work Ethic: He spends significant time practicing, especially on his short game. And while he’s out there, he has a smile for everyone. We’ve seen it up close. Even when he’s grinding, he’s connecting with those around him positively.
- National Hero: He’s a trailblazer for Asian golf, bringing immense pride to Japan.
- Strong Competitor: Players respect his game and mental toughness, all while being respectful and an all-around good guy.
In essence, while he might not be the most outwardly flamboyant personality, Matsuyama’s peers and legends admire his dedication, talent, and integrity, making him widely regarded as a winner on the course and in life.
Congrats, Hideki, on your two victories in ’25. We’ll be rooting for you, as always, in 2026 to lift more trophies and keep on smiling.
Winners & Losers from Sunday in the Bahamas
Winner: Tiger Woods. His foundation and events company run the Hero, and from what we saw on TV and learned from our friends at TGR, the event was an immense success raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for his foundation. Tiger’s impact on our world is more than just being an entertaining golf icon – he is changing the lives of thousands of kids a year who participate in education programs delivered through his TGR Learning Labs. To date, more than 217,000 kids have participated. Click to learn more and support.
Winner: Hideki. One of the good guys, Hideki went out Sunday and WON the tourney, firing a bogey-free, 8-under 64. He pocketed $1,000,000 and his 2nd Hero World Challenge trophy.
Loser: Jordan Spieth. While Hideki and Alex Noren were shooting 22-under for the week, Jordan finished even par, including a final round 1-over, 73. His finish makes us all wonder: Will Jordan ever return to the level of play we saw almost a decade ago, when he was flying high and ranked as world #1?
Loser: Wyndham Clark. Mic drop.
Winner: Akshay Bhatia. He may not have won the tourney on Sunday, but while still in the Bahamas this week, the plan is for him to marry his longtime girlfriend. Good luck and congrats Akshay.
2025 Hero World Challenge Payouts
| Pos. | Player | Score | Earnings |
| 1 | Hideki Matsuyama | -22 | $1,000,000 |
| 2 | Alex Noren | -22 | $450,000 |
| 3 | Sepp Straka | -21 | $300,000 |
| T4 | J.J. Spaun | -20 | $237,500 |
| T4 | Scottie Scheffler | -20 | $237,500 |
| 6 | Justin Rose | -18 | $220,000 |
| 7 | Corey Conners | -17 | $215,000 |
| T8 | Harris English | -15 | $207,500 |
| T8 | Wyndham Clark | -15 | $207,500 |
| 10 | Cameron Young | -15 | $200,000 |
| 11 | Sam Burns | -12 | $195,000 |
| 12 | Robert MacIntyre | -11 | $190,000 |
| 13 | Keegan Bradley | -10 | $185,000 |
| 14 | Akshay Bhatia | -9 | $180,000 |
| 15 | Billy Horschel | -7 | $175,000 |
| 16 | Brian Harman | -6 | $170,000 |
| 17 | Andrew Novak | -4 | $165,000 |
| 18 | Aaron Rai | -3 | $160,000 |
| T19 | Jordan Spieth | E | $152,500 |
| T19 | Chris Gotterup | E | $152,500 |