Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama hits a 65 with stand-in caddie at FedEx St Jude Championship
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on Aug 15, 2024.
PHOTO: AFP
MEMPHIS – Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama shrugged off the forced absence of his regular caddie and coach to fire a five-under 65 for a share of second place after the first round of the FedEx St Jude Championship on Aug 15.
Matsuyama, a nine-time PGA Tour winner and bronze medallist at the recent Paris Olympics, rode a hot putter at TPC Southwind in Memphis as he nailed seven birdies against two bogeys to trail leader Chris Kirk by one.
South Korea’s Im Sung-jae and An Byeong-hun returned matching 69s in the first of three FedExCup play-off events, while Kim Si-woo and Tom Kim carded a 70 and 71 respectively.
World Nos. 1 and 2 Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele were in a group of seven tied for fifth on 66.
Matsuyama, 32, is using stand-in bagman, Taiga Tabuchi, as his long-time caddie Shota Hayato and coach Mikihito Kuromiya had to return to Japan to sort out their travel documents after losing their passports during a stopover in London last week following the Olympics.
Tabuchi is the caddie for fellow Japanese golfer Ryo Hisatsune, who did not qualify for the play-offs.
“Kind of reminded me of the first time Shota was on my bag. We worked through a couple things,” said Matsuyama, who tied with Taylor Pendrith of Canada and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.
“Really that was the main thing today, (which) is having teamwork with my caddie. Playing well, and I don’t know how Shota is going to take it, but we’ll work that out.”
A return to TPC Southwind gives Matsuyama good vibes as he finished tied second in the 2021 World Golf Championships-FedEx St Jude Invitational, losing in a play-off.
He rattled home several long birdie putts from 24 feet, 34 feet and 17 feet on holes 7, 12 and 14, and ranked first in strokes gained: putting in the first round where he gained 2.6 strokes over the 70-man field. Matsuyama is ranked 133rd in the category for the season.
“I’m happy the way I played today,” added the former Masters champion, who is eighth on the FedExCup points list.
“My job is the same. It’s just play golf. I talk to my coach every night on the phone. I’ve got a great caddie.
“Taiga did a great job today, so we’ll just see how it goes. I’m playing well, and that momentum has carried over. Now it’s just whether or not the results, the score can go with it.”
On the passport incident regarding his caddie and coach, Matsuyama said they realised their personal belongings were stolen after paying for dinner in London.
“It was an unfortunate situation. Luckily, I only lost my wallet but Shota and coach lost their passports, and we’re trying hard now to get their visas back in time,” he said, clarifying earlier erroneous reports that they were robbed.
“We didn’t even know it happened. We were just having a friendly dinner, and Shota was the first one, saying... ‘Hey, where is my bag?’ Of course it was frustrating, but we really didn’t know it happened. It was just kind of all of a sudden.”
Hayato, who has been on Matsuyama’s bag for most of his victories including the historic Augusta triumph in 2021, is expected to be back for the Tour Championship, which Matsuyama missed out in 2023 after nine successive appearances in the FedExCup play-offs finale.
“We’re pushing hard, looking towards East Lake. Shota will make it, I think, but my coach probably won’t,” added Matsuyama, who won the Genesis Invitational and has four other top-10s this season.
After his fine start in Memphis with a fill-in caddie, will Hayato still have his job?
Matsuyama smiled and replied: “Of course. Of course.” PGA TOUR
