Golf-Matsuyama defends Phoenix Open title with playoff win

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Japan's red-hot Hideki Matsuyama maintained his sizzling run of form as he successfully defended his Phoenix Open title with a playoff victory over American Webb Simpson at the TPC Scottsdale in Arizona on Sunday. Matsuyama clinched his fifth win in his last nine starts worldwide when he sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole, the driveable par-four 17th, where Simpson parred. The duo had finished the 72 regulation holes on 17-under-par 267, Matsuyama narrowly missing a birdie putt at the last to card a five-under 66 and Simpson closing with a best-of-the-day 64. South African Louis Oosthuizen carded a 65 to finish third at 16-under while South Korean An Byeong-hun, who had been three strokes clear with nine holes to play, ran up four bogeys after the turn for a 73 and sixth place. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in St. Augustine, Florida; Editing by Andrew Both)