Hideki Matsuyama’s victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship was far from a straightforward affair, as it was marred by a dramatic twist that nearly cost him the title. As he approached the 12th hole with a comfortable five-shot lead at 19-under-par, Matsuyama seemed to be on track for an easy win. However, his momentum came to an abrupt halt when PGA Tour chief referee Gary Young approached him regarding a potential rules violation that occurred earlier in the round.

The incident took place on the 7th hole, a challenging 475-yard par-4, where Matsuyama’s approach shot missed the green and landed in a collection area. Before taking his next shot, Matsuyama opted to fix a significant pitch mark near his ball by pressing it down with his foot. This action raised concerns about a possible breach of Rule 8.1, which strictly prohibits players from improving the conditions that affect their stroke, particularly along their line of play.

Young clarified that the issue revolved around whether Matsuyama’s actions had indeed improved his line of play, which could have resulted in a two-shot penalty. Although video evidence showed that the pitch mark was in close proximity to his line, Matsuyama argued that it was not obstructing his play. He stated that he routinely repairs pitch marks and didn’t believe this particular one was in his way. After consulting with the rules committee and the United States Golf Association (USGA), it was ultimately determined that no penalty was necessary, as Matsuyama had correctly followed Rule 8.1b by repairing the ball mark.

Reflecting on the incident Matsuyama dismissed it as a “non-issue” and claimed that it did not affect his performance for the remainder of the day. However, it was evident that the distraction had an impact on his game.