Hideki Matsuyama
Name:
Hideki MatsuyamaCountry:
JapanBorn:
Feb 25, 1992 in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
2013MAJORS (1): The Masters (2021). Presidents Cup player (2013, '15, '17, '19). Multiple wins on the Japan and PGA Tours, including Japanese major championship and World Golf Championship titles.
Matsuyama, who attended Tohoku Fukushi University, enjoyed an excellent amateur career, winning the Asian Amateur Championship in 2010, aged 18 years. A year later he won his first Japan Tour event (2011 Taiheiyo Masters) as an amateur, and also competed in The Masters at Augusta National, the first Japanese amateur to do so. At The Masters he won the Silver Cup as the lowest scoring amateur.
Matsuyama turned professional in April 2013. Since then he has amassed an impressive collection of wins including a Japan Open title, two World Golf Championships events, and several victories on the Japan and PGA Tours.
His crowning achievement to date was undoubtedly becoming the first-ever Japanese professional golfer to win a men's major golf championship (the 2021 Masters Tournament). In so doing he eclipsed Japanese golf legends like Isao Aoki, Jumbo Ozaki, Tommy Nakajima and Shingo Katayama, all of whom came close, but not quite close enough, to lifting one of golf's most prestigious major trophies.
Majors
x
The Masters Tournament (85th) (April 8-11). Second-placed and relatively unknown Will Zalatoris (USA) finished 1 shot behind 29-year-old Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), who became the first Japanese professional golfer to win a men's major golf championship. [Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA].
America
Waste Mgt
Played as the Waste Management Phoenix Open (Feb 2-5). Defending champion Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Webb Simspon (USA) with a birdie at the fourth playoff hole (par-4 17th). [Stadium course, TPC Scottsdale, Phoenix, AZ].
WGC
Bridgestone
Played as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (Aug 3-6). Second-placed Zach Johnson (USA) finished 5 shots behind Matsuyama (Jpn), who won his second World Golf Championships title. [South course, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio].
America
Waste Mgt
Played as the Waste Management Phoenix Open (Feb 4-7). Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Rickie Fowler (USA) with a par at the fourth playoff hole (par-4 17th), to win his second PGA Tour title. [Stadium course, TPC Scottsdale, Phoenix, AZ].
Japan
JGA
Played as the Japan Open (Oct 13-16; Japanese major ch'ship). Second-placed Kyoung-hoon Lee (S Kor) and Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) finished 3 shots behind Matsuyama (Jpn), who claimed his first win in a Japanese major championship. [Sayama GC, Iruma, Saitama, Japan].
Japan
Mitsui Sumitomo
Played as the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters (Nov 10-13; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Yong-hau Song (S Kor) finished 7 shots behind Matsuyama (Jpn). [Gotemba course, Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Jpn].
WGC
HSBC
Played as the WGC-HSBC Champions (Oct 27-30; co-sanctioned by world's leading mens professional tours). Second-placed Daniel Berger (USA) and Henrik Stenson (Swe) finished 7 shots behind Matsuyama (Jpn), who became the first Japanese player to win an individual World Golf Championships event. [Sheshan Intl GC, Shanghai, China].
America
Hero MotoCorp
Played as the Hero World Challenge (Dec 1-4; unofficial PGA Tour money event, hosted by Tiger Woods). Second-placed Henrik Stenson (Swe) finished 2 shots behind Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), who recorded his fourth win in his last five worldwide starts. [Albany Resort, New Providence, Bahamas].
Japan
Dunlop
Played as the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (Nov 20-23; Japan Tr event). Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Hiroshi Iwata (Jpn) with a par at the first playoff hole. [Phoenix CC, Miyazaki, Japan].
America
Nationwide
Played as The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance (May 28-Jun 1). First-time PGA Tour winner Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Kevin Na (USA) with a par at the first playoff hole. [Muirfield Village GC, Dublin, nr Columbus, OH].
Awards
Japan Tr
Matsuyama (Jpn) recorded the season's lowest scoring average on the Japan Tour. Shingo Katayama (Jpn) was second with 69.91; Hyung-sung Kim (S Kor) was third with 70.21.
Japan
x
Played as the Diamond Cup Golf (a Japan Tr event). Second-placed Hyung-sung Kim (S Kor), Brad Kennedy (Aus) and Sung-joon Park (S Kor) finished 2 shots behind Matsuyama (Jpn). [Oarai GC, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki, Japan].
Japan
Fujisankei
Played as the Fujisankei Classic (Japan Tr event). Tour rookie Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Hideto Tanihora (Jpn) and Sung-joon Park (S Kor) in a playoff, to win his third Japan Tour event in 2013. [Fujizakura CC, Yamanashi, Jpn].
Japan
x
Played as the Tsuruya Open (April 25-28; Japan Tour event). Second-placed David Ho (USA) finished 1 shot behind Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), who recorded his second Japan Tour win. [Yamanohara course, Yamanohara GC, Hyogo, Jpn].
Japan
Casio
Played as the Casio World Open (Nov 28-Dec 1; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) finished 1 shot behind 21-year-old Matsuyama (Jpn), whose prize money ensured he became the first rookie to win the season-long Japan Golf Tour money list. [Kochi Kuroshio CC, Kochi, Jpn].
Awards
Japan Tr
Matsuyama (Jpn) won the Japan Golf Tour 2013 Money List, with earnings of Yn201,076,781 on the Tour (incl winnings from Majors & WGC events). Hyung-sung Kim (S Kor) was second with Yn125,824,405; Shingo Katayama (Jpn) was third with Yn112,557,810. Matsuyama became the first rookie to win the Japan Tour money title.
Amateur
APGC
Played as the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (Sep 29-Oct 2). Second-placed Soo-min Lee (S Kor) finished 1 shot behind defending champion Matsuyama (Jpn). [Singapore Island CC, Singapore].
Japan
Mitsui Sumitomo
Played as the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters (Nov 10-13; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Toru Taniguchi (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind 19-year-old amateur Matsuyama (Jpn), who recorded his first Japan Tour win. Reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [Gotemba course, Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Jpn].
Amateur
APGC
Played as the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (Oct 7-10). Second-placed Tarquin MacManus (Aus) finished 5 shots behind Matsuyama (Jpn). [Kasumigaseki CC, Kawagoe, Saitama, nr Tokyo].
Tournaments:
Women’s major championships: the month of June sees two women’s majors: the US Women’s Open (June 3-6), with A Lim Kim defending, and the Women’s PGA Championship (June 24-27), with Sei Young Kim defending.
Senior PGA Championship: the revered Southern Hills in Oklahoma hosts the 81st staging of this event (May 27-30); Ken Tanigawa holds the title from its last playing in 2019.
Who's Who:
Phil Mickelson: in winning the 2021 PGA Championship, the world’s most famous “leftie” became the oldest winner of a golf major championship.
Hideki Matsuyama: became the first Japanese professional to win a men’s major championship, when he triumphed in this year’s Masters Tournament.
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