Tiger Woods completed a wire-to-wire victory at the Zozo Championship on Monday from Inzai City, Japan, equaling Sam Snead’s PGA Tour record of 82 victories.
The 43-year-old returned Monday to play the final seven holes in the rain-hit tournament, completing a 3-under 67 to beat local favorite Hideki Matsuyama by three strokes at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.
Woods had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee two months ago — his fifth on the same problem joint. He’s also had four back surgeries, including a spinal fusion, and looked at times as if his career was over, but he returned to win the Tour Championship in 2018 before his triumph at the Masters in April for his 15th major.
The Japan event was Woods’ first start of his 23rd season on the PGA Tour.
The fourth round was suspended because of darkness Sunday with Woods holding a three-stroke lead over Matsuyama in the first official PGA Tour event in Japan.
He bogeyed his first hole of the day, the par-4 12th, but was solid the rest of the way with birdies on Nos. 14 and 18 to finish at 19-under 261. Matsuyama also closed with a 67.
Woods opened with consecutive 64s, with a day off in between because of rain. He had a 66 on Sunday in the third round.
Woods’ approach shot on the 12th found a greenside bunker. He blasted out and left himself a long par putt that he missed for bogey, cutting the lead to two strokes.
But that was the only time he would falter.
Matsuyama missed a short birdie putt on the par-5 14th with a chance to cut the lead to a stroke. Woods, playing in the group behind Matsuyama, made birdie to restore the three-stroke lead.
Matsuyama cut the lead to two with a birdie on par-3 16th. On the par-5 18th, he drove into a fairway bunker, and hit his approach into a greenside bunker before saving par.
Woods’ second shot on 18 also found a greenside bunker. He blasted to 10 feet and made the putt.
Woods last played in an official tournament in Japan in 2006 at the Dunlop Phoenix, where he lost in a playoff to Padraig Harrington. He won the Dunlop Phoenix the two previous years.
Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked player in the field, completed his round with two birdies for a 67 to tie for third at 13 under with Sungjae Im, who shot 65.
