Matsuyama’s motivation
Not long after Hideki Matsuyama delivered the best shot he never saw to cap off his improbable comeback in the Sony Open, his phone buzzed with a text from Shigeki Maruyama to remind him of a conversation long ago.
Maruyama, a three-time PGA Tour winner who once went 5-0 in the Presidents Cup, always talked to his protege about becoming the most prolific PGA Tour winner of all Asian players.
“That was always the goal,” Matsuyama said through his interpreter, the winner’s lei still draped around his neck.
His playoff victory Sunday afternoon over Russell Henley was the eighth of his career, tying him with K.J. Choi of South Korea. One more to go. Matsuyama smiled when he heard that, no translation necessary.
The 29-year-old Japanese star has put together an impressive collection of titles in his eight years on the PGA Tour. That starts with his Masters green jacket he won in April. Add a pair of World Golf Championships and victories against strong fields in the Phoenix Open (twice), the Memorial and the Zozo Championship outside of Tokyo. What made the record-tying win at Waialae so impressive was how he rallied from a five-shot deficit with nine holes to play on a course that’s suited to low scoring.
Matsuyama saved his best for the end.
Henley went first on the 18th and hit into the fairway bunker, leaving him no chance of reaching the green in two. Matsuyama switched to a 3-wood off the tee and had 276 yards to the flag, a perfect number for a high, cut 3-wood.
He made contact and looked directly into the setting sun, holding up his hand to block the light and then turning away.
“To be honest, I didn’t even see it,” Matsuyama said. “But everybody started cheering, and I knew it was good.”
The big roar came from one of the largest galleries for the Sony Open, and it was clear whom they came to see. “Sugoi!” they they kept cheering — Japanese for great — as Matsuyama made each of his seven birdies, and especially the eagle in the playoff.
His last win also ended with an eagle at the Zozo Championship. That win was special because Japanese fans finally were able to celebrate their biggest golf star. Matsuyama had to quarantine for 14 days when he returned from winning the Masters in April due to the pandemic. When he came back for the Tokyo Olympics, no fans were allowed on the course.
He got another dose of celebrity in Honolulu when the fans spilled onto the 18th fairway and surrounded the green.
And then came the shot everyone at Waialae will remember. That included Keita Nakajima, the No. 1 amateur in the world, a junior in college in Japan who now has made the cut in both PGA Tour starts.
Nakajima stayed behind to watch his golf hero and was so wide-eyed when he saw it the ball land near the hole that he rubbed his arm as if he had goosebumps. That’s why Nakajima referred to Matsuyama as “a superstar in Japan.”
Now, he’s at the top of the list of Asian-born players winning on the PGA Tour, looking as though many more trophies will follow.