Matsuyama Makes Steady Start at Kiawah Island

Kiawah Island, South Carolina, United States: Hideki Matsuyama made a solid start to his bid for a second successive Major championship title.

Five weeks after becoming the first Japanese to win the Masters and only the second Asian male Major winner, Matsuyama teed-off his PGA Championship campaign with a one-over-par 73 at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course.

The two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner ended the day in a share of 41st place – six strokes off the pace being set by Canadian Corey Conners.

By his own admission, Matsuyama’s game is a little rusty following a return to Japan and a short break from golf following his Augusta National triumph.

Playing alongside defending PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa and reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, Matsuyama displayed good course management in making birdies at three of the four long holes – the second, seventh and 11th.

But those gains were offset by a double-bogey six at the third and bogeys at 12 and 18, both of which he three-putted.

“It is a very difficult golf course, and the scores may be even higher later on in the week. So we just have to hang in there and do our best,” said the 29-year-old, who knows he needs to sharpen his game.

The six-time PGA Tour winner said: “Actually, my energy level is good. I'm really not tired, but my game isn't where it should be. All my focus is on that right now.

“Playing the last five holes in one-over isn't really that bad, but that three-putt at 18 left a bad taste in my mouth. Before becoming a Major champion, you're always grinding, pushing, and have never done it before. But since I've done it, like today, it was a little bit easier to play tournament golf.”

Fellow-Japanese Takumi Kanaya and Rikuya Hoshino will both need to improve on their opening-day efforts if they’re to survive the half-way cut following Friday’s second round.

Kanaya, like Matsuyama a former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner, carded a 75 and is currently tied for 77th, while Hoshino is joint 97th after a 76.

Playing in the last flight of the day, Kanaya was even-par through 14 but was unable to get up-and-down from a waste bunker to save par at 15. At the par-five 16th he took two shots to escape a waste bunker en route to a double-bogey seven.

Of the six Koreans in the starting line-up, the best performance came from Im Sung-jae who signed for a 70 and a share of eighth place.

He is followed on the leaderboard by An Byeong-hun (73, tied 41st), Kim Si-woo, Chan Kim and YE Yang (all 75, tied 77th) and KH Lee (78, tied 127th). Yang was the first Asian to win a Major, triumphing in the PGA Championship in 2009.

Thai Jazz Janewattananond posted a 77 and trails Australians and fellow former AAC participants Cameron Smith (72) and Lucas Herbert (76).