AUGUSTA, GA. – Hideki Matsuyama stood by the giant oak tree outside the Augusta National clubhouse and put a battery pack in his pocket, dangled a string around his green jacket, and tucked an IFB into his right ear. It was 8:45 am local time in Tokyo and the newest Masters champion was about to go live.
Over the past five hours, Matsuyama had survived a nerve-racking final round, picking up defending champion Dustin Johnson and punching his fists in a lecherous celebration he’d wanted to reserve for the 72nd hole, but somehow didn’t feel that at the time. me no good. Now it was time for his least favorite part of being a famous professional athlete: talking about himself.
Interviewer Ryusuke Ito, a race reporter for the Tokyo Broadcasting System, was six feet away, masked and animated, talking into his microphone. Color commentator Tommy Nakajima was back in the Tokyo studios, asking questions of his own. During the 5-minute interview, Matsuyama bowed, smiled and occasionally laughed, but never replied for more than 30 seconds. When he finished, he exhaled audibly.
Matsuyama, 29, has previously spoken of wanting to pioneer, to serve as an inspiration to his countrymen. So what did he say in his first interview after winning the Masters?
What was he thinking?
How did he feel about being Japan’s first major male champion?
“He was working to keep things under control,” Ito said afterwards through an interpreter, “but he’s over the moon. He is absolutely delighted. “
It was a fitting scene for a player whose skills are undeniable, but whose personal backstory either remains unexplored or lost in translation for mainstream golf audiences outside of Asia.
What needed no further explanation on Sunday was how Matsuyama’s journey got around here at Augusta National, who first invited him to the Masters more than a decade ago. In 2008, then tournament chairman Billy Payne announced the creation of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, intended to bring together the region’s best amateurs in hopes of creating the next generation of stars. By dangling an exemption in the Masters from the tournament winner, the hope was that the young amateur would eventually keep both trophies.
“And today,” said Chairman Fred Ridley at the trophy presentation, with Matsuyama seated behind him, “that hope has come true.”
Indeed, Matsuyama has been stamped for fame since winning the second annual AAC in 2010 (and going back-to-back the following year). Nobuhito Sato, a former Japan Tour player turned commentator, recalled hitting balls along with the then 18-year-old at the Japan Open that year. “I didn’t know about him,” said Sato via email, “but he hit them so well, and his iron shots sounded different from the others.” Sato, a nine-time tour winner, missed the cut that week; Matsuyama, just an amateur, finished third. Victories soon followed, and it soon became clear: The hopes of a golf-mad nation were pinned on Matsuyama’s broad back.
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Japan is slightly smaller than the state of California, but the country has about 2,500 jobs – almost double the number in any US state. Pro events are packed with hustle and bustle. “The hustle and bustle in Japan is fanatic,” said Adam Scott. The country has produced some major women’s champions – and the last Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, Tsubasa Kajitani – but never a men’s Grand Slam winner despite Isao Aoki’s worldwide success (the first to win in the PGA Tour) , Jumbo Ozaki (94 Japan Tour wins) and Nakajima (former top-5 player in the world).
Matsuyama, however, has always been viewed through a different prism. “It was his confidence,” said Ryuji Imada, who became the third Japanese player to win the Tour in 2008. “He’s a big boy compared to some of the other Japanese players who have come out. He’s six feet. He’s probably 210 pounds. had a Japanese player, and you need that to be a modern player and physically compete with the other guys. “
Eiko Oizumi, a freelancer golf writer in Japan, said, “Since Hideki is the only Japanese player who has the opportunity to win the major events around the world, the Japanese expect him to win majors.”
But as his profile expanded and his world rankings soared, the shy boy turned even more inward. Few details emerged about his interests, his motivations, his dreams. Every tidbit was precious: even in the era of Bryson DeChambeau, he is often the last to leave the range. While living in a tourist center like Orlando, he frequents restaurant chains such as IHOP and Waffle House. How as an avid baseball fan he always took his glove to tournaments to play catches.
How Matsuyama got over his nerves from the first tee
“He’s quite shy, but typically Japanese,” said Sato. “Many of us Japanese are like him. It takes time to know what he is really like as a person. Scott had dinner with Matsuyama and worked with him at the Presidents Cup, but he still had little insight into his personality: “That’s hard to sum up. He’s actually quite an intense character, although we don’t see that. is obsessed with his game. ”
In the early 2010s, Matsuyama was a stark contrast to Ryo Ishikawa, who was a budding superstar and media darling, the Japanese version of Rickie Fowler, with the colorful ensemble to boot. Ishikawa, just as old as Matsuyama, was dubbed the “Shy Prince” and regularly sat with reporters; Matsuyama was tight-lipped and, although he was beginning to understand his professional obligations, he still feared the post-round debriefs. “He’s not really trying to make everyone happy, and that’s what you have to do to be successful,” said Imada. ‘You have to say no. You cannot do everything. He will practice for 45 minutes every day to conduct an interview. He has kept his blinders on and is very focused. “
It’s a common chorus in the Japanese press that while Matsuyama doesn’t speak much English, he doesn’t speak much Japanese either. They’ve had a complex and complicated relationship with the superstar in recent years, and multiple reporters said it’s harder to interview Matsuyama than any other player on the Tour. And so there is a lack of information about Matsuyama even among the home press. Most famously, they were shocked in 2017 when they learned that Matsuyama was not only married but also had a child.
“People know he’s a great golfer – probably the best Japanese golfer ever,” said Sato. “But since he keeps a lot of things secret, a lot of people don’t know anything but that.”
Imagine the quintessential media crush that accompanies Tiger Woods to tournaments – a crowd of several dozen print reporters, a large number of TV reporters, and a crowd of cameramen. Matsuyama has a similar entourage, but with one important difference: the reporters don’t need time and have to raise a few questions during limited availability. Knowing that they will be there for more than half an hour, some scribes even bring a chair. They are detailed interrogations.
“The media attention is because we haven’t had enough success in golf yet,” said Imada. “As a country, we love golf, and if you are good at it, we will notice. It’s a big deal. “
Matsuyama recognized the awkward dynamics on Saturday night at the Masters, where he put himself ahead of four shots in three rounds. Due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19, only a few media members made the trek to Augusta, instead of the usual 25 or so. When asked if the spotlight was easier to handle this week, Matsuyama offered a glimpse into his thinking: “I’m not sure how to answer this properly, but getting in front of the media is still difficult . It is not my favorite activity to stand and answer questions. It has been a lot less stressful for me and I have enjoyed this week. “
Even if he’s not a willing author of his own story, Matsuyama’s performance this week will resonate for decades to come.
Matsuyama entered the Masters with little expectation after not competing all year, and shot a second-nine on Saturday 30th to take the lead. He hadn’t won since August 2017, when he won at Firestone to climb to second in the world and then briefly led the back nine at the PGA Championship before closing with two late bogeys. When he met the press, he was so crushed that he buried his head in his hands and sobbed.
No wonder Matsuyama set his alarm for 9:30 am on Sunday, but woke up hours earlier, too nervous to go back to sleep. He arrived on the court early and also looked nervous at the opening, when a ride into the trees led to a bogey and, coupled with two birdies from Masters rookie Will Zalatoris, his four-shot lead in a one-hit lead cut, only 15 minutes into the round.
But Matsuyama never gave up his lead, recovered with three birdies and created as much as a six-shot pillow in a day when no one in the last six pairs broke 70. Xander Schauffele came closest to late, pulling within two shots of the 15th hole, but any dramatic tension was short-lived: the wind turned on Schauffele’s 8 iron in the par-3 16th and he found the water was short, which led to a triple bogey. Matsuyama could afford to bogey three of the last four holes and still win with one, 10-under 278.
“Man, he was something else,” said Schauffele afterwards. “He played like a winner should play. He was like a robot. “
Schauffele had a unique perspective on Matsuyama’s triumph, as his maternal grandparents lived in Japan. “Nobody really wants to talk about how much pressure is on him,” he said. ‘But you look at the media that follows him. You look at what he’s done in his career. He’s a top player with a lot of pressure on him, and that’s the hardest way to play. So big compliments to him and his team. I’m sure a lot of people have a beer there. “
Matsuyama wore his new green jacket for the first time and gave a typically short speech at the trophy presentation, saying in Japanese how honored he was to win at Augusta National and underlining his comments with a loud “Thank you!”, Like an exciting rocker. the stage after a lively set, his arms held up triumphantly.
He had a busy night ahead of him. A period of reflection with his team. A dinner with club members. More private parties later in the evening. But first, he went to the flash area outside the clubhouse, where Ito and a captive audience waited to hear from the new Masters champion.
At the end of the interview, Matsuyama delivered a message directly to his home country about how proud he was to represent them today. Then he untied his earpiece, thanked Ito, and was escorted through a green jacket to his next engagement. He threw his head back, relief overwhelmed him. Only a few interviews remained.