(Reuters) - Japan's red-hot Hideki Matsuyama maintained his sizzling run of form, successfully defending his Phoenix Open title with a gripping playoff victory over American Webb Simpson at the TPC Scottsdale in Arizona on Sunday. Matsuyama clinched his fifth win in his last nine starts worldwide when he sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole, the driveable par-four 17th, where Simpson could only par. The duo had finished the 72 regulation holes on 17-under 267, Matsuyama narrowly missing a birdie putt at the last to card a five-under 66 and Simpson closing with a best-of-the-day 64. "It was a struggle, especially that playoff, but I am really happy to win," Matsuyama, 24, told CBS Sports via an interpreter after claiming the Phoenix Open title for a second year in a row at the fourth extra hole. Matsuyama is the first back-to-back winner of the Phoenix Open since Johnny Miller in 1974-75.

Source: The Star February 06, 2017 00:24 UTC