THE MILLION-DOLLAR
Matsuyama can’t imagine impact of major win for him, Japan
CHARLOTTE
HIDEKI Matsuyama can’t imagine what impact becoming the first Japanese men’s major golf champion would have on him or his homeland, but he wants to find out today.
The 25-year-old World No 3 birdied five of the last seven holes at Quail Hollow in a bogey-free seven-under 64 second round on Friday to grab a share of the lead with American Kevin Kisner at the PGA Championship.
Asked what winning the groundbreaking title would mean for him and for Japanese golf, CHARLOTTE: Jordan Spieth acknowledged after the second round of the PGA Championship that it will take some “crazy stuff ” for him to complete the career grand slam today.
After speaking so positively ahead of the final major of the year, Spieth’s challenge never left the launch pad over the first 36 holes at Quail Hollow.
Eleven strokes behind at threeover 145, he will almost certainly have to wait another year to have Matsuyama said through a translator, “I’m not really sure. That’s a difficult question, one that’s hard to think about, what effect that would have on my life, my family’s life.
“I’m not sure. I try to imagine, but we still have a lot of golf to play.
“Hopefully, come Sunday, I can come back (as champion) and that would help increase the popularity of the men’s game in Japan.”
Matsuyama fired a 61 last Sunday to win the World Golf Championships event in Akron, calling it probably the best round of his career. It’s also a boost that has an opportunity to complete the grand slam of all four modern majors.
His putting let him down in the first round, while on Friday he played too conservatively down the stretch in relatively easy lateafternoon conditions, after rain had taken the sting out of the greens.
“I kind of accept the fact that I’m essentially out of this tournament pending some form of crazy stuff the next couple of