For 1st time, Japan is home to a leader of the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Japan has been sending golfers to the Masters since 1936, with about three dozen players combining for well over 100 appearances at Augusta National.

And none had ever finished a round atop the leaderboard.

Until Saturday.

Hideki Matsuyama’s fourshot lead going into Sunday’s final round of the Masters is a breakthrough moment for Japan, which became the 17th nation to see one of its players hold a lead after any round at Augusta National.

The others, per the Masters: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Fiji, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United States, Wales and Zimbabwe.

It was 10 years ago when Matsuyama became the first Asia-Pacific Amateur champion to make the cut and be the low amateur at the Masters. He was the second-lowest amateur finisher to Patrick Cantlay in the Masters field the following year.

Here’s something else to note going into the final round: on two previous occasions, Matsuyama has posted the low fourth-round score at the Masters.

No language barrier: Xander Schauffele is from San Diego. Hideki Matsuyama is from Japan, and needs a translator to help with his interview sessions with English-speaking media.

That doesn’t mean Schauffele and Matsuyama can’t talk on the course.

They were paired in the third round on Saturday and Schauffele — whose grandparents lived in Japan — knows a little bit of the language.

“I know a little bit of Japanese,” Schauffele said. “I threw my few words in here and there. Just some proper words. Some bad ones, too.”

He can practice his Japanese a little more on Sunday as well. Schauffele and Matsuyama are the final group at the Masters, going off at 2:40 p.m.

“It was really enjoyable playing with Xander today,” Matsuyama said. “We didn’t get a chance to talk a lot, but when we did, we exchanged some good Japanese jokes and had a good laugh.”

Horschel’s slide: Billy Horschel went into the water on the 13th hole. He also went onto his backside.

Horschel took a slip-and-slide trip to blooper-reel immortality in the third round at Augusta National, after playing his second shot on the par-5 13th into the water — a tributary of Rae’s Creek.

He removed his shoes and his socks, rolled up the legs of his white pants to his calves, surveyed the situation and then made his way barefoot down a slope toward the water. He slipped on the way, his feet going out from under him and he landed on his butt.

That drew a laugh from the patrons. So did his immediate reaction — turning toward playing partner Phil Mickelson to assess the damage.

Horschel asked Mickelson if there was a grass stain.

Mickelson’s response, as Horschel recalled: “Yeah, there’s one there. Sorry, buddy.”

Money matters: For the third consecutive year, the Masters champion will take home $2.07 million.

The Masters on Saturday released the breakdown of how the $11.5 million purse will be distributed this year, and first prize this year matches what Tiger Woods received for his win in 2019 and what Dustin Johnson got last year.

If someone finishes in sole possession of second place, he’ll receive $1.242 million — which would be the biggest prize in Masters history going to a non-winner. Runner-ups Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith got $1.012 million apiece last year; the Masters record for runner-ups is $1,188,000, won by Rickie Fowler in 2018 and Justin Rose in 2017.

Third prize, if claimed outright, would be worth $782,000; fourth, $552,000 and fifth, $460,000. For the record, 50th place is still a nice check: $28,980.

Consistency: Jon Rahm and Mackenzie Hughes have signed for the same score in each of the first three rounds at the Masters: 72 each day.

They’ve got chances at a Masters rarity.

Only four players in Masters history — Walter Hagen in 1939, Lew Worsham in 1954, Kenny Knox in 1987 and George Archer in 1989 — shot the same score in all four rounds of the tournament. Hagen had four 76s, Worsham four 74s, Knox and Archer four 75s.

Even though his scores have been the same, Rahm says his play has gotten better as the week has gone along.