For Hideki Matsuyama, time refuses to stand still. As the seasons change and the years stack up, so too does Matsuyama’s list of achievements.
The Japanese golf sensation has been making waves in the sport since he first picked up a club at the tender age of four. In 2010, he won the Asian Amateur Championship with an impressive score of 68-69-65-67=269. This victory earned him the distinction of being the first Japanese amateur to compete in the prestigious Masters Tournament in 2011. It was a sign of things to come for the young golfer.
Turning professional in 2013, Matsuyama wasted no time making his presence felt on the Japan Golf Tour. In his rookie season, he accomplished a feat that had never been done before – winning five events and topping the Japan Tour money list. His victories that year also included the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters.
Matsuyama’s success quickly translated to the international stage when he earned his PGA Tour card in 2014. That same year, he made history by becoming the first Japanese player to win on the tour since Ryuji Imada in 2008. These wins helped him reach a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of #2 in June 2017. Matsuyama’s greatest achievement came in 2021 when he won the Masters Tournament. His victory was celebrated across Japan, with the government even using the national alert system to send out a notice of congratulations.
As of now, Matsuyama’s trophy cabinet boasts an impressive 10 PGA Tour victories. He has also won eight times on the Japan Golf Tour and has been a stalwart member of the International Team at the Presidents Cup, representing his country with pride on five occasions.
The 2024 season was another strong one for Matsuyama. He started the season with solid finishes at the Farmers Insurance Open (T13) and the WM Phoenix Open (T22) before claiming his first win of the year at the Genesis Invitational with a scintillating final round 62. Consistency continued to be Matsuyama’s hallmark, as he notched top-15 finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (T12) and The Players Championship (T6).
In August, he won the bronze medal in golf at the Paris Olympics. This accomplishment was particularly sweet for Matsuyama, who had fallen short of a medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Matsuyama shot a final round 65 to finish the tournament at 17-under par, one stroke ahead of Frenchman Victor Perez who finished fourth. Unfortunately, Matsuyama’s 2024 season ended on a bittersweet note. A back injury forced him to withdraw from the BMW Championship, though he still managed a commendable T9 finish at the tour Championship.
As the golfing world looks ahead to the upcoming Presidents Cup, all eyes are on Hideki Matsuyama. The latest reports suggest that he is expected to be fully fit and ready to compete for the International Team Team at the upcoming Presidents Cup. He and teammate Sungjae Im led the International squad to a historic sweep of the U.S. Team in the Sept. 27 foursomes matches.
Published: Sep 30, 2024 09:24 am