SCOTTSDALE — As Si Woo Kim and Ryo Hitatsune ended their weekend at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open in the same group, the two shook hands before bowing, a sign of respect in East Asian culture with Hitatsune representing Japan and Kim coming from South Korea. Although Hitatsune finished tied for 10th at 12-under and Kim tied for third at 15-under, neither finished as the top Asian player on the leaderboard.
Japanese-born Hideki Matsuyama led the field from the time he teed off on the first hole on Sunday morning, all the way the 18th green, but a bogey on the final hole forced a playoff between him and Chris Gotterup, who began Sunday’s round outside the top 10 before shooting 7-under in the final round to finish at 16-under. Matsuyama drove his tee shot on the playoff hole into the water in front of the fairway. The penalty stroke was too much to overcome, as Gotterup sank a 27-foot putt for his second win of 2026.
“Was grinding all weekend,” Matsuyama said. “Didn’t have my best stuff, but hung in there. I wanted to avoid the playoff as much as I could, but I just hit a bad tee shot there in regulation at 18 and Chris made a good putt there in the playoff. So hats off to him.”
While Gotterup ended Matsuyama’s chance at a third career win in Scottsdale in the sudden death round, finishes by Matsuyama and Kim marked the first time since 2016 a pair of Asian golfers ended the Phoenix Open in the top five (Matsuyama and Danny Lee).
Matsuyama and Hitatsune also played Saturday’s round in the same group, a full-circle moment for the 23-year-old Hitatsune who looked up to Matsuyama, one of, if not the most iconic Japanese golfers in PGA history as the 2021 Masters Champion and two-time winner of the Phoenix Open.
“He’s like won Masters and then like 11 times PGA winner, so like very different for me,” Hitatsune said after playing with Matsuyama Saturday.
While the 33-year-old Matsuyama is aware of the influence he’s had on the Asian golf community, he paid his respects to Hitatsune, who finished in the top 10 for the ninth time in his five seasons on tour.
“As far as advice, I mean, I don’t need to give him advice,” Matsuyama said. “He’s paid his dues on the DP World Tour, coming over here, playing well. He’s a really fine player, so there is nothing really I can say to help him out.”
Matsuyama expressed comfort at having another Japanese player in a group with him, as he speaks very little English and requires a translator to accompany him to PGA tournaments. As a 13-year member of the PGA Tour, Matsuyama has rarely seen other golfers who share his nationality while playing in the United States.
“Kind of a first today for Japan to have two Japanese pros play in a final group,” Matsuyama said Saturday.
A first, but most likely not the last.
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