By Rahul Banerji
Behind his dark shades out on the course, Hideki Matsuyama portrays himself as a man of mystery and of few words.
When the Japanese star is battling on the PGA Tour, his concentration is 100 percent as he seeks golf perfection by spending hours and hours at the practice range, sometimes from dawn to dusk.
The Olympic Games, at home will however, be a whole different ball game.
The pressure is immense.
As Japan’s first male Major winner, he is the heavy home favourite for Olympic glory.
Matsuyama knows the spotlight will be on him when he tees up at the Kasumigaseki Country Club from July 29 to August 1, and he hopes to continue being a worthy role model.
“Go there and win a gold medal,” he told the PGA Tour.
“That’s my goal and I’ll do my best to accomplish it.
“I still have an active role to play for probably another 10 to 15 years and I want to do my best to be an example and role model to all the kids and young golfers out there.”
Huge fallout
With the men’s golf competition starting on July 29 at Kasumigaseki, where Matsuyama lifted the first of his two Asia Pacific Amateur Championship titles, high expectations sit squarely on his shoulders.
Shigeki Maruyama, a three-time PGA Tour winner and Japan’s coach for the Olympics, believes the nation’s momentum for growth in the game would soar should Matsuyama deliver a gold medal.
“The economic effect would be huge. Everybody is proud of his accomplishment. Everybody in Japan will continue to have high expectations, although that’s a big load for him,” he said.
“He gave us a big dream. That’s what I think he did. Japan’s experiencing a golf boom right now. Because of that, the number of junior golfers who want to become the next Hideki will increase for sure.”
Matsuyama also understands his responsibility to an army of fans.
He regularly conducts interviews with a throng of Japanese media after every round, irrespective of whether he had just shot a 66 or 75 so that news of his progress will be shared at home.
Even then, the 29-year-old keeps his cards closely to his chest.
Springing a surprise
Known for his privacy, he surprised the media back in 2017 by announcing he and his wife had welcomed their first-born. Most were not even aware he was married.
“No one really asked me,” Matsuyama said ruefully.
However, those who know Matsuyama say he is funny, thoughtful and humble, despite the fact that he has accumulated six PGA Tour victories to date, including the historic triumph at the Masters in April which made him the first Japanese male Major champion.
Australia’s Marc Leishman, who has played on several International Teams at the Presidents Cup alongside Matsuyama, said the Japanese has a sense of humour.
“He loves a laugh. If you do get to talk to him, he loves it when you say stuff and make him laugh and he does understand a little bit of English.
“He certainly knows a lot more English than I do Japanese. He’s a private person but with a good sense of humour,” said Leishman, who will also compete in the Olympic Games.
“At the Zozo tournament in Japan (2019), we went out for dinner at one of his favourite restaurants.
“He just ordered food for us. I remember he ordered one thing I think it was a bit of a joke on me. I said I’ll eat anything. And he ordered for me some raw beef and it had a raw egg on top of it.
“Just the egg yolk which was very interesting. Gave everyone a laugh in the room. That’s the sort of thing he’ll do, a bit of an out-of-the-blue practical joke.”
A lighter side
Cameron Smith, another Presidents Cup International teammate in 2019, echoed Leishman’s sentiments, saying Matsuyama isn’t all serious and businesslike as perceived with his often stoic and dead-serious look.
“He’s very funny. When you get to know him, even though we have the language barrier, he’s very witty.
“He goes around a golf course and he plays pranks on you. Hideki is just definitely more light-hearted than I think people sometimes perceive,” said Smith.
Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan teamed up with Matsuyama to secure two wins in the Fourball sessions against Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson at the 2019 Presidents Cup and said his partner helped ease his nerves.
“He’s kind of funny. The matches I played with him, I mean he was really serious but was always trying to lighten the mood at the same time.
“I think he knows what to do as he’s the veteran, but in general he’s funny,” said Pan.
When Webb Simpson flew over to Japan to play in a local event several years back, Matsuyama booked an entire restaurant to host the seven-time PGA Tour winner to a sumptuous meal.
Level-headed
The American also admires how Matsuyama has handled the fame and pressure that have followed him since his maiden Tour triumph at the Memorial Tournament in 2014.
“I think he’s got a great demeanour about him. He seems to handle the pressure so well. I think his wife and kid are at home, and I know that’s hard.
“He’s chosen a career and he’s got a humble attitude about him. I think in Japan he is a big star, but there’s a humility to him that is pretty cool to see someone have that much attention on him.
“He’s handled it well.”
From donning the Masters green jacket in April, the whole country now awaits to see if Matsuyama, in all seriousness, can go on to deliver a gold medal for Japan.
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