ASIA RISING

It’s phenomenal that Asian golfers have captured the first majors of the year, and under overwhelming conditions no less. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is the Masters Champion, and Thai rookie Patty Tavatanakit won wire-to-wire at the ANA Inspiration.

History was first made when Korean Y.E. Yang raised the PGA Championship trophy back in 2009. And it was another Thai, Ariya Jutanugarn, who claimed the Women’s British Open in 2016.

The current major wins are all the more amazing considering the circumstances. Matsuyama hadn’t won in almost four years coming into Augusta, and Tavatanakit’s victory is her first on the LPGA Tour, and a major.

While the world’s top golfers, including last year’s champion and World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, dropped out of contention like flies, a smiling Matsuyama battled wind and nerves to overcome a tough Masters set-up for the single stroke win.

21-year-old Tavatanakit averaged a mammoth 348 yards off the tee in the third round, outdriving Bryson Dechambeau’s average of 321.3 yards. She held off a resurgent Lydia Ko who charged hard from 8 shots back with a record setting 10-under 62 in the final round. Ko herself would go on to win two weeks later by an impressive seven strokes.

Matsuyama and Tavatanakit, hailing from the Land of the Rising sun and the Land of Smiles, are unabashedly honest, respectful, and couldn’t be more fitting champions of Asian golf to inspire future generations to victory on the world stage.