KAPALUA, Hawaii >> Hideki Matsuyama got the new season off to a smashing start Sunday when he broke the PGA Tour record to par for 72 holes by closing with an 8-under 65 for a three-shot victory over Collin Morikawa in The Sentry.

Matsuyama made an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole at Kapalua, extending his arm and lightly pumping his fist in about the only emotion he showed all week. That put him at 35-under 257, breaking by one the 34-under par by Cameron Smith set at Kapalua in 2022.

Matsuyama set another PGA Tour record with that final birdie, his 35th hole at birdie or better for the tournament. Smith in 2022 and Sungjae Im last year held the previous record.

It added to his 11th career title on the PGA Tour, and his third win in the last 10 months, all against some of the strongest fields.

Morikawa had to settle for second place despite not posting a round worse than 66 all week.

It was another scoring fest on the Plantation course on weeks when there is little wind, such as this one to start the new PGA Tour season.

“Obviously, you need to shoot a lot of low scores to keep up here,” said Ludvig Aberg, who had a 65-64 weekend to tie for fifth.

Matsuyama began with a one-shot lead over Morikawa and never trailed. He began to build some separation when he holed a sand wedge from 107 yards on the third hole, the ball landing in front of the pin, taking one hop and disappearing in the cup for eagle.

Matsuyama saw the crowd cheer from behind the elevated green, widened his eyes and pursed his lips and tapped fists with his caddie. And that was that. It was a methodical game, a methodical week for the 32-year-old Japanese star.