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.
America
Sony
Played as the Sony Open in Hawaii (Jan 13-16). Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Russell Henley (USA) with an eagle at the first playoff hole (par-5 18th). [Waialae CC, Honolulu, Hawaii].
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].
Asia
ZOZO
Played as the ZOZO Championship (Oct 21-24; PGA Tr and unofficial Japan Tr event; PGA Tour 2021/22 season). Second-placed Brendan Steele (USA) and Cameron Tringale (USA) finished 5 shots behind Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), who won his first PGA Tour title in his native Japan, recording his seventh PGA Tour win in total. [King course, Accordia Golf Narashino CC, Inzai, Chiba].
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
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
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].
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].
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
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].
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].
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].
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].
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.
Awards
Japan Tr
Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) won the Japan Golf Tour 2013 Money List, with earnings of Yn201,076,781. 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. Note: the Japan Tour Money List includes earnings from Japan Tour events and golf's four top majors (Masters, Open, US Open, US PGA).
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
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
R&A / 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].
Amateur
R&A / 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:
European Tour: 2021 marks the 50th and last season of the world renowned European Tour, launched in April 1972 at the Spanish Open. From 2022 the Tour will be sponsored by Dubai-based global supply chain and ports operator DP World, and will be known as the DP World Tour.
South African Open: December 2021 events in South Africa have again been impacted by the Covid pandemic. The South African Open (Dec 2-5) will no longer be played as a DP World Tour event, and the Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec 9-12) has been cancelled.
Who's Who:
Bernhard Langer: at age 64, Langer collected a record sixth Charles Schwab Cup, the only player to have won the season-long points chase more than twice. He also topped the PGA Tour Champions money-list for the 11th time out of a possible 13 since 2008.
Carlota Ciganda: the five-time Solheim Cup star was delighted to record a fourth Ladies European Tour win in her home national championship, the Ladies Spanish Open.
Lee Elder: Trailblazer, Ryder Cup player, four-time PGA Tour winner and eight-time Senior PGA Tour winner, Lee Elder died on November 28, aged 87. In 1975 he became the first African American golfer to play in the Masters tournament, and in so doing provided one of the pivotal moments in the history of professional golf.
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