Hideki Matsuyama is back inside the world’s top 10 after his second victory of the season.

Matsuyama, who defeated Russell Henley in a playoff Sunday at the Sony Open following last fall’s home triumph at the Zozo Championship, climbed eight spots to No. 10 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking.

In the process, Matsuyama bumped last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions winner, Cameron Smith, to No. 11. South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen is No. 12, which gives International Presidents Cup captain Trevor Immelman three possible players inside the top 12 in the world. Abraham Ancer (20) and Sungjae Im (25) are also in the top 25.

As for Matsuyama, he hadn’t cracked the top 10 since June 2018. He slipped outside the top 25 later that year.

Golf Central

Matsuyama rallies, wins Sony with playoff eagle

BY Brentley Romine

 — January 16, 2022 at 9:56 PM

Hideki Matsuyama rallied from five shots down with nine holes to play and then beat Russell Henley with eagle on the first extra hole.

Other movement in the top 10 included Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland trading spots, Schauffele to sixth and Hovland to seventh, and Rory McIlroy moving to eighth while bumping Bryson DeChambeau back to ninth.

Henley moved up 16 spots to 40^th and inside the coveted top 50, which will earn Masters invites if not otherwise qualified on March 28. Seamus Power, T-3 at Sony, also entered the top 50, rising 14 spots to No. 49.

Joohyung Kim, winner of the Asian Tour’s Singapore International moved into the top 100, going from No. 132 to No. 89.