History books were rewritten at Augusta National on Sunday afternoon as 29-year-old Hideki Matsuyama became the first player from the golf-loving nation of Japan to win a men’s major championship following his victory at the 85th Masters.
Already a superstar in his native country, Matsuyama’s status is likely to be elevated to even more god-like levels after the man who was born in a city called Matsuyama bagged the coveted green jacket. With only a few thousand fans allowed to watch the action live, the atmosphere at Augusta was always going to be somewhat muted, but there was genuine warmth and appreciation from the sizeable gallery that gathered around the 18th green for Matsuyama’s victory, which came 10 years after he won the low amateur prize on his debut in the tournament back in 2011.
His 10-under-par total saw him win by one shot from American debutant Will Zalatoris, with fellow countrymen Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele sharing third place on seven under.
Leading by four shots at the start of the final round, predictions of a Sunday procession for Matsuyama proved slightly wide of the mark when he bogeyed the first, while Zalatoris birdied both his opening holes to cut the leader’s advantage to just one shot in an instant.
However, Matsuyama’s response set the tone for the rest of the day. He comfortably birdied the par-five second and did likewise on the final two holes of the front nine to reach the turn with his lead stretched to five as the chasing pack failed to do live up to their collective name.
With such a commanding lead, what tension the Japanese player might have been feeling seemingly all but disappeared, and without the roars and cheers ringing around the course in quite the same volume as in pre-Covid years, the leader was effectively able to play in his own bubble, blissfully unaware – barring the scoreboards – of what was going on around him.
Those praying for a ding-dong battle ‘down the stretch’ might have had their hopes lifted when Matsuyama made a bogey at the 12th after he hit his tee shot into the back bunker, but the damage from the ensuing bogey was immediately repaired with a birdie at the par-five 13th.
The finding of water at the par-five 15th, which led to a Matsuyama bogey, also lifted the tension slightly, especially when Schauffele, his playing partner, made a birdie to close the gap to just two with three to play. But the American’s hopes of victory were brutally dashed just one minute later when he his tee shot on the par-three 16th found the water. And, after flying the green with his third, the game was all but up. Playing well right of the flag at the same hole, Matsuyama was happy with a three-putt bogey in the context of Schauffele’s disasterous six.
A par at 17, and a conservative bogey at the last, where he found the greenside bunker with his approach, and the title was Matsuyama’s. Not one for overly emoting, Japan’s new golfing god allowed himself a smile as he acknowledged the ground and hugged his caddy in celebration.
Speaking through an interpreter in the always crinegworthy jacket-donning ceremony in the Butler’s Cabin, Matsuyama said: “I’m really happy. My nerves didn’t start on the second nine, I felt them right from the start and right to the very last putt. I was thinking about my family all the way round today, and I’m really happy that I played well for them. I’m glad to hopefully open the floodgates for Japan and hopefully many more will follow me.”
With Matusyama and Shugo Imahira being the only Japanese players currently inside the world’s top 100 – ranked 14th and 83rd respectively – it is unlikely that the floodgates will be swinging wide open any time soon, but with Japan due to host the Olympics in just a couple of months, the timing of the victory couldn’t have been more opportune in pure marketing terms.
In other stories to emerge from the week, Will Zalatoris deserves plenty of plaudits for his debutant’s display. Not since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 has a player won the Masters at the first attempt. The 24-year-old Californian didn’t manage that, but the resilience he showed to stay in the mix for four days, points to a bright future at the highest level. A Sunday 70 confirmed the best finish of his professional career and rendered him the first Masters rookie to be runner-up since 1982.
Spieth, one of the pre-tournament favourites following his dramatic return to form this season, will rue a missed opportunity to add to his collection of green jackets. A final round 68 was one of the best of the day, and it’s hard not to believe that another Major victory is close by.
Justin Rose, who appeared to be battling with his swing all weekend, slipped to a closing 74 for seventh place. His opening 65 was impressive given the conditions, and he was still tied for second coming into Sunday after two 72s, but too many missed fairways and greens did for his hopes of adding to his 2013 US Open title. Patrick Reed and Corey Conners closed one shy of Rose’s total, while Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre’s closing 72 and level-par aggregate was enough to secure him top-12 finish and an invite back to Augusta in 2022, when he will have the chance to build on what was a solid debut.
Jon Rahm’s final round 66 earned him tied fifth with Marc Leishman. Having become a father just days earlier, it was perhaps understandable that it took time for the Spaniard to warm to the task, but he did just that, and his time in the Major spotlight will surely come before too long.
For the final Masters leaderboard click here.
Hideki Matsuyama – Winning Gear
Driver: Srixon ZX5 (9.5˚)
Fairway wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium (15˚)
Utility iron: TaylorMade SIM UDI (3)
Irons: Srixon Z-Forged (4-PW)
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 4 Forged Prototype (52˚, 56˚, 60˚)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS
Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV