Hideki Matsuyama has golfed his way to his first Masters tournament victory. On April 11, the Japanese native Matsuyama put on that green jacket, coming out on top over 54 professional golfers in Augusta, Georgia.
Matsuyama started with a 4-stroke lead going into that Sunday morning and finished one shot ahead of Will Zalatoris with the top score of 10 under par.
The feeling of victory is something Matsuyama will never forget. The 29-year-old became the first Japanese golfer to win a men’s major golf championship. In winning this huge tournament he is hopeful that many more Japanese will follow in his footsteps.
“It’s thrilling to think that there are a lot of youngsters in Japan watching today. Hopefully in five, ten years, when they get a little older, hopefully some of them will be competing on the world stage,” said Matsuyama.
The impact he has already had at home is growing even more. Japan is one of the largest golf countries in the world, having 2,200 golf courses and millions of golfers.
Matsuyama has become a pioneer for golfers all over the world, especially in his home country, giving hope that it will be more than just an American sport.