“When the final putt went in, I really wasn’t thinking of anything,” Matsuyama instructed the media throughout his post-round press convention.
“But then hugging Xander [Schauffele] … when I saw my caddie, Shota and hugged him, I was happy for him because this is his first victory on the bag. And then it started sinking in — the joy of being a Masters champion.”
Having an impression again dwelling
As he slipped on the Green Jacket and held the well-known trophy, which depicts Augusta’s clubhouse, Matsuyama might start to ponder his win’s significance.
After 4 grueling days of inclement climate, blustery winds and tought opposition, the 29-year-old’s one-shot victory on the Masters ensured he’d turn out to be the primary Japanese man to win a golf main.
Although others have come shut earlier than, the wait for a main champion has been lengthy for a nation with a wealthy sporting background.
So lengthy that feelings received the higher of Tokyo Broadcasting System’s (TBS) commentators. At the second of Matsuyama’s victory, TBS announcer Wataru Ogasawara mentioned: “Matsuyama won the Masters!” earlier than tearing up and saying: “Finally, finally, Japanese has become the top of the world!”
Co-commentator Tsuneyuki Nakajima burst into tears and couldn’t converse following the win.
Like Yu Darvish in baseball and Naomi Osaka in tennis earlier than him, Matsuyama is hoping that his victory can convey a vivid future for golf in Japan.
“I hope it will affect golf in Japan in a good way,” he mentioned.
“Not only those who are golfers already, but hopefully the youngsters who are playing golf or thinking about playing golf, I hope they will see this victory and think it’s cool and try to follow in my footsteps.
“Up till now, we have not had a main champion in Japan, and perhaps a lot of golfers or youthful golfers, too, thought, effectively, perhaps that is an impossibility. But with me doing it, hopefully that can set an instance for them that it’s doable and that, in the event that they set their thoughts to it, they’ll do it, too.”
‘If that’s the bar, then I’ve set it’
After his victory, in which he showed remarkable poise despite being on an almost four-year winless drought, Matsuyama thinks he’s raised the standard for his fellow Japanese golfers.
“I am unable to say I’m the best [golfer in Japan’s history]. However, I’m the primary to win a main, and if that is the bar, then I’ve set it.”
With the Olympics coming to his homeland later this year, pressure will be on his shoulders to bring home the gold medal.
In the meantime there have already been calls for Matsuyama to light the Olympics Cauldron for the Summer Games, something he’d said would be a “nice honor.”
After having some time to process his win, he’ll travel back to Japan with an additional green item of clothing in his suitcase.
The prospect of inspiring a new generation of golfer excites Matsuyama, although he warns that they’ll have to get past him if they want to win.
“But I nonetheless have a lot of years left, so they’re going to have to compete in opposition to me nonetheless. But I’m joyful for them as a result of hopefully they are going to be ready to comply with in my footsteps.”
Mai Nishiyama and Chie Kobayashi contributed to this report.
