Hideki Matsuyama empties sleeve of golf balls into water hazard at 2022 3M Open

July 21, 2022

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Not one.

Not two.

But three balls went into the water on the par-5 18^th hole at TPC Twin Cities off the clubfaces of Hideki Matsuyama, one of the best players on the planet and winner of the 2021 Masters. It came early in Thursday’s first round of the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota, and proves the best can still have holes like weekend warriors carrying an 18 handicap.

The star from Japan had been struggling before reaching his ninth hole of the day (he started on the 10^th), especially with his driver. And then matters got worse.

Matsuyama’s first drive found the lake that runs the entire right side of the hole and up to the front of the green. He took a penalty drop and then, surprisingly, tried to hit his third shot off a deep down slope in heavy rough with a metal wood. It went 217 yards – and came up 50 yards short and in the water. He took another drop and again found the H2O.

Matsuyama finally got his eighth shot onto the green and one-putted for a 4-over 9. He made a birdie on his next hole.