Hideki Matsuyama never gave anyone a chance in Shanghai on Sunday, scoring a crushing seven-shot win at the HSBC Champions to become the first Asian winner in the 18 years of the World Golf Championships.
It was only fitting that Japan's Matsuyama won the WGC billed as "Asia's major."
The 24-year-old Matsuyama hit his second shot into the water on the par-5 18th hole and still finished with a par, holing an 18-foot putt to sign for a six-under 66.
That gave him an emphatic victory over British Open champion Henrik Stenson (65) and Daniel Berger (69).
It was the largest margin of victory at the HSBC Champions, and the largest in a WGC since Tiger Woods won by seven in the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational.
He played his final 45 holes at Sheshan International without a bogey. Matsuyama finished at 23-under 265, one shot away from the tournament record set three years ago by Dustin Johnson.
It was the 10th career victory for Matsuyama, who goes to a career-best No. 6 in the world ranking.
In the last three weeks since he finished his best PGA Tour season with fifth place at the Tour Championship, Matsuyama won the Japan Open, was runner-up in Malaysia to Justin Thomas in the CIMB Classic, and then won his biggest tournament yet.
Rory McIlroy closed with a 66 to share fourth with Bill Haas (69). McIlroy said he would skip the Turkish Airlines Open next week, presumably because of security concerns over recent weeks, which makes him a long shot for the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.
Masters champion Danny Willett remains in front. Stenson's 20-foot birdie putt on the last hole gave him a share of second, which at least helped him close the gap. He also moved up one spot to No. 4, moving Jordan Spieth down one notch.
Adam Scott scorched home with a 66 to go with his third-round 64 to finish tied for 14th at nine-under.
"Hideki played just unbelievable and it was a pleasure to watch. You can learn a lot from watching Hideki play," Berger said. "He's struck it well. He's putted well. He's chipped well. He's done everything well, and that's why he's won by so many."
Defending champion Russell Knox, playing in the final group with Matsuyama and Berger, couldn't match his birdies and then fell far behind trying to push it. Knox finished the front nine with two bogeys and started the back nine with a pair of bogeys. He closed with a 74 and tied for ninth.
The World Golf Championships ends for the year with players from five countries occupying the top six spots in the world ranking - Jason Day (Australia), McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Dustin Johnson (United States), Stenson (Sweden), Spieth (United States) and Matsuyama (Japan).
