Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th hole on June 6 during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2024 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, the United States. (AFP/Getty Images/Andy Lyons)
B
rian Harman, the reigning Open champion, told a funny tale about how he and fellow PGA Tour winner Matt Every made a poor error in judgment on a young Asian golfer more than a decade ago. In contrast, Jack Nicklaus, who holds a record 18 major victories, knew the golf world was in for a special treat with the emergence of a rising star.
Paired together in the opening two rounds of the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii alongside one of several Japanese sponsor exemptions that week, Harman’s first impression was similar to what Every was thinking: He hasn’t got what it takes.
“So we're playing with this kid, and there are photographers all over the place. He dribbled a couple off the tee boxes and Matt and I made the comment, don't think this kid's got it. He's like, nervous beyond all belief. Missed the cut. Didn't play good at all. Don't think this guy is going to make it […] Hideki Matsuyama,” recounted Harman.
Yes, the very same Matsuyama who is now Asia’s winningest golfer on the PGA Tour with nine career victories to date, four more than Harman and Every combined, and a proud owner of a green jacket following his historic triumph at the 2021 Masters Tournament.
“So Matt and I would joke about that. Yeah, we missed on that one,” Harman laughed.
Last week marked the 10th anniversary of Matsuyama’s maiden PGA Tour victory in 2014 at The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, an event hosted by golf legend Nicklaus.
The octogenarian vividly remembers Matsuyama’s glorious march to victory at Muirfield Village via a playoff and that he liked what he saw.
“When he won, I said, he's going to win a lot of golf tournaments,” said Nicklaus.
“He was a good player before he got here, obviously, or he wouldn't have been here,” added the 84-year-old about Matsuyama, who was a two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur champion before turning professional.
Nicklaus, winner of 73 PGA Tour victories, battled top Japanese golfers including Isao Aoki, Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki and Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki in his prime, but rates Matsuyama as the “best of the bunch”. He especially marvels at how Matsuyama has established himself in the United States despite challenges with the language, as well as food and other cultural differences.
“It's pretty difficult for someone, particularly coming from a country where the language is difficult, and basically live and play here all year long. He's done really well, he's won the Masters, won several other tournaments,” said Nicklaus.
“He's going to win more majors. He's just too good a player.”
Since his breakthrough a decade ago, Matsuyama has cemented his stature as Asia’s most decorated golfer. A stunning victory at the Tiger Woods-hosted Genesis Invitational in February, where he closed with a final round 62 at Riviera to overcome a six-shot deficit and win by three, saw him break a tie with Korea’s K.J. Choi at eight wins.
As of last week, the 32-year-old has also enjoyed seven runner-up finishes and a staggering 40 top-5 finishes from 254 official starts. These tally up to over US$50 million in career earnings, ranking him 12th in the all-time earnings list on the PGA Tour.
Australia’s Adam Scott has since become a lifelong admirer of Matsuyama’s success and influence on the game in Japan and across Asia, after he was tasked with taking Matsuyama under his wing at the 2013 Presidents Cup, where they partnered in four matches. The 43-year-old Scott, a 14-time PGA Tour winner, enjoyed a front-row seat when Matsuyama prevailed for his first victory, as they played in the same group.
“I was pulling for him as soon as it was like, Adam, you're not going to win today with a few holes to go. I really wanted to see Hideki take that step and win a big one. So he played great down the stretch and got it done. It was his time,” Scott recalled.
Time did not stand still, as Matsuyama went on to win twice in both 2016 and 2017 and rose to a career-high No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Back and neck injuries slowed down his march for a short stretch until Matsuyama saw green at Augusta National, where he claimed a momentous triumph at the 2021 Masters Tournament, making him the first Japanese men’s major champion.
Like Woods, Matsuyama’s rise to fame has meant that his every shot and stride taken on the golf course is closely followed by Japanese media, and Scott appreciates the weight of the expectations Matsuyama carries for the golf-mad nation.
“He's dealt with a lot of pressure really well,” said Scott. “I think his achievements are phenomenal. His consistency is probably a little overlooked. He’s a needle mover and, as they should be, [they are] so proud of him and what he's been doing.”
While the world No. 15 is expected to add to his silverware collection, the trickle-down effect has gathered momentum in Japan, where youngsters look up to him as a “senpai” (mentor).
Aoki, the first Japanese golfer to win on the PGA Tour in 1983, anticipates Matsuyama’s heroics will inspire a new era for the country, which has seen the emergence of Ryo Hisatsune, Keita Nakajima, Taiga Semikawa and Takumi Kanaya.
“I am sure there will be a lot of golfers who'd like to follow in Matsuyama's steps,” he predicted.
Despite the adoration and fame, Matsuyama prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
“I just want to work hard and play well, rather than think about what I had done,” said Matsuyama.
“My life has changed gradually after being on [the] Tour for 10 years. In that sense, it is fulfilling right now. I want to keep working hard for another 10 or 20 years. I want to work hard to win more majors, and it would be great if we [Japanese golfers] could compete against each other for a championship someday.
“I am just fortunate my hard work has paid off, so there are no secrets.”
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The writer is APAC marketing and communications senior director for the PGA Tour.