Matsuyama Set for Poignant Return to AAC-Winning Venue

Tokyo, Japan: Hideki Matsuyama is preparing for a poignant return to Kasumigaseki Country Club next week.

It was at the venerable venue in 2010 that Matsuyama lifted the first of his two Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) titles. Prior to that he’d triumphed there in the Japan Junior Championship.

More than a decade later, Matsuyama, now aged 29, is a national hero in Japan having won April’s Masters Tournament at Augusta National to become the first male player from his country to win a Major title.

No wonder he’s being touted as Japan’s golden hope in the men’s golf competition at the Tokyo Olympics which tees-off on July 29. It’s no exaggeration to say that the hopes of a nation are resting squarely on his shoulders.

Shigeki Maruyama, a three-time PGA Tour winner and Japan’s coach for the Olympics, believes the nation’s new-found momentum for growth in the game would increase multi-fold should Matsuyama deliver a gold medal to follow the euphoria that greeted his Masters win.

Maruyama said: “The economic effect would be huge. We shouldn't put too much burden on his shoulders, but Hideki obviously grew to that level. Everybody is proud of his accomplishment. Everybody in Japan will continue to have high expectations, although that’s a big load for him.

“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 knows that the glare of the spotlight will be directed on him when he tees up at Kasumigaseki Country Club ... and he hopes to continue being a worthy role model to young kids.

He said: “Go there and win a gold medal. 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.”