While you were sleeping, Day routs Tiger and co in Japan Skins

There was a lot of talk about the exhibition involving Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama in Japan – though not many saw it given it was in the middle of the night both in the UK and the US. Here’s what happened in the catchily-named ‘The Challenge: Japan Skins’.

The skins match would see the players compete for $350,000 with the holes worth different amount of money.

The event kicked off the week of the Zozo Championship – the PGA Tour’s first official stop in Japan – and after 17 holes it was all to play for on 18, worth $100,000…

It all comes down to this.

Thru 17 holes …
$110,000 for @JDayGolf (7 skins)
$60,000 for @TigerWoods (5 skins)
$60,000 for @McIlroyRory (4 skins)
$20,000 for Hideki Matsuyama (1 skin)

The 18th hole is worth $100,000. pic.twitter.com/sXX0rQ8ame

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

Day holed a tasty up-and-down from the green-side bunker to snatch victory with eight skins worth a total of $210,000.

The up and down that made Jason Day your #TheChallengeJapanSkins champion. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/g7r5N6ELCI

— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) October 21, 2019

Here’s how it finished up:

• Day (8 skins, $210,000)
• Woods (5 skins, $60,000)
• McIlroy (4 skins, $60,000)
• Matsuyama (1 skin, $20,000)

The Challenge: Japan Skins hole by hole

Holes 1 & 2: A steady start from all players saw the first two holes halved with pars, meaning the third hole was worth three skins and $30,000.

Hole 3: Day was left with a 10-footer for birdie which saw him take an early lead with he first three skins of the match.

3 skins and $30,000 for @JDayGolf.

He takes the early lead.#TheChallengeJapanSkins pic.twitter.com/SR8F5pLAHT

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

Hole 4: The hole was split with pars and the skin rolled over.

Hole 5: The tricky par-3 saw Day, McIlroy and Matsuyama all dunk their balls into the water and Tiger was only marginally better-off when finding the green-side bunker. An up-and-down for par saw him take his first skins of the day along with $20,000.

Two skins and one big smile for @TigerWoods.

He's in second place with $20,000.#TheChallengeJapanSkins pic.twitter.com/K7wtZ2IFkC

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

Hole 6: Day and McIlroy both made birdies on the par 5 to roll over yet another skin. The 7th would now be worth two skins and $25,000.

Hole 7: With the Rugby World Cup currently ongoing in Japan, each player was joined by a legend of the game for this par-3. The teams played a two-man scramble and three birdies saw yet another rollover. Matsuyama holed a long putt for his birdie and Irish hero Brian O’Driscoll, who partnered McIlroy, sealed theirs.

A big putt from Hideki Matsuyama.
A bigger hug from @BryanHabana.

Celebrating with a rugby legend. 😂#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/1TdVd15uhF

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

Hole 8: With $40,000 and three skins on the line Tiger left a good look for birdie and drained it to take the outright lead.

A birdie for @TigerWoods from the rough.

He's now won 5 skins and $60,000.

Tiger leads #TheChallengeJapanSkins. pic.twitter.com/9YNYC8Olge

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

Hole 9, 10 & 11: Plenty of good golf played but no player was able to win any of the three holes.

Hole 12: Rory scooped the rollover prize to take four skins worth $60,000 to tie Woods for the lead.

Reminder: @McIlroyRory is good at golf.

One hole. Four skins. $60,000.

He's tied for the lead with @TigerWoods. pic.twitter.com/b98bD88qo6

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

Hole 13: Finally Matsuyama was able to get on the board and win his one and only skin worth $20,000 with a birdie.

Holes 14, 15 & 16: Another three-hole stretch where nobody is able to stand out from the pack. The 17th hole becomes worth four skins and $80,000.

Hole 17: Finishing with a flurry Day gets the better of the rest and opens up a handsome lead. He now has seven skins and $110,000, Woods is 2nd with 5 skins and $60,000, McIlroy 3rd with 4 skins and $60,000 and Matsuyama is 4th win 1 skin and $20,000.

Hole 18: The final hole worth $100,000 was a fitting finale and with Day in for a birdie only Tiger could send the match to a play-off. He missed a 10-footer and handed the spoils to the Australian.

Final leaderboard at #TheChallengeJapanSkins:

$210,000 for @JDayGolf (8 skins)
$60,000 for @TigerWoods (5 skins)
$60,000 for @McIlroyRory (4 skins)
$20,000 for Hideki Matsuyama (1 skin) pic.twitter.com/WH4WCd7SsL

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2019

What the winner said

Jason Day spoke to Golf TV’s Henni Zuel after the win:

Post-round interview with the champion Jason Day.#TheChallengeJapanSkins | @MGMJapan pic.twitter.com/Ii3f3Xta8X

— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) October 21, 2019

And all four players took part in a post-round press conference:

Tiger, Rory, Jason And Hideki reacting to #TheChallengeJapanSkins 🎙 https://t.co/fhrZUrarOX

— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) October 21, 2019

Is this sort of exhibition the way forward for golf? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us.