Matsuyama Commands The Masters

Image courtesy of The Guardian

By Chris Carey

A tradition unlike any other resumed on CBS this past weekend as 29 year old Hideki Matsuyama stormed past the field Saturday with a 65, ultimately securing his spot in history as the first individual from Japan to win The Masters tournament, or any of the four major tournaments in golf.

Matsuyama made his first appearance at The Masters in 2011 as a 19 year old amateur, and after a largely successful career since with 5 PGA Tour wins, he kept his cool throughout the weekend at Augusta National Golf Course, ultimately donning the signature green jacket.

Augusta proved as difficult as always, Matsuyama shooting a one over par 73 on the final day of competition to take it home. Xander Shauffele, the number six golfer in the world from San Diego, looked poised to force a playoff. A triple bogey on the par 3 sixteenth ended his chances at the coveted green jacket and landed him in a tie for third with past champion Jordan Spieth.

Finishing out a major championship is no easy task, and the young challenger from Japan struggled on the home stretch back nine holes as he bogeyed 12, 15, 16, and 18, with a lone birdie at the par 5 thirteenth hole. Luckily for Matsuyama, his exceptional 7 under 65 of the previous day produced a 4 shot lead that was more than enough to hold the line and become part of history.

In wider news, Matsuyama’s victory will catapult him into the national lens in his home country of Japan, and with anti-Asian sentiment at a recent high in the United States, some, such as Munehiko Harada, who serves as president of Osaka University of Sport and Health Sciences, are hopeful for the healing power of the win too.

“It would be great if the victory of Mr. Matsuyama would ease negative feelings toward Asians in the United States and create a kind of a momentum to respect each other,” said Harada.

As the 2020 Olympics go to Tokyo for the summer of 2021, there will be newfound national interest in the game of golf thanks in no small part to the newest major champion. Andy Yamanaka, Secretary-General of the Japan Golf Association alluded to this focus.

“I don’t know his next goal, maybe win another major or achieve a grand slam, but for the Japan Golf Association, getting a gold medal at the Olympics would be wonderful news,” said Yamanaka

When asked about the rumored possibility of lighting the Olympic torch at the 2020 Tokyo games, Matsuyama quipped he would have to check his schedule before committing to anything at all.

Similarly to the man he carries the bag for, Hideki’s caddie Shota Hayafuji showed great respect for Augusta National and the prestige of The Masters as he bowed before returning the pin on the 18th hole. 

Seen in Atlanta’s airport waiting for a flight to Chicago, Matsuyama was calmly sitting by himself with the pristine green jacket draped over a chair in the waiting area. 

Whatever his future goals may be, Hideki Matsuyama’s keen interest in staying out of the limelight, exceedingly calm and respectful demeanor on and off the course, not to mention his exceptional game, comprise a presence that is very much welcome on the PGA Tour and the global golf scene.