FedEx Cup Playoffs thrown into chaos as £19m title contender withdraws with injury

Matsuyama’s Form Derailed as Injury Forces Withdrawal from BMW Championship, Endangering Tour Championship Hopes

Hideki Matsuyama, the former Masters champion, has been forced to withdraw from the BMW Championship due to injury, casting significant doubt on his chances of competing in the upcoming Tour Championship.

Matsuyama, a top contender for the FedEx Cup title, has been in outstanding form recently, making his withdrawal a major setback. The Japanese golf star was poised to challenge for the £19 million prize at the Tour Championship, scheduled for next week at East Lake in Atlanta. However, his lower back injury, confirmed by the PGA Tour, has abruptly halted his momentum.

The 32-year-old had just come off a remarkable victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis and was positioned strongly at the BMW Championship, sitting in second place after Thursday’s opening round at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado, just one shot behind the leader, Keegan Bradley.

Matsuyama’s win at TPC Southwind had elevated him to third place in the FedEx Cup standings, trailing only Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. His promising start in Colorado suggested he was on track for another high finish, which would have bolstered his chances of claiming golf’s richest prize in Atlanta on September 1.

Now, Matsuyama faces a race against time to recover. Although his season’s performances have secured his spot in the 30-man field at East Lake, his participation is now uncertain due to the severity of his back injury.

This injury adds to a turbulent period for Matsuyama, who recently overcame significant challenges to win in Tennessee. After securing an Olympic bronze medal in Paris, Matsuyama and his team were victims of a robbery in London while en route to the United States. In the incident, Matsuyama lost his wallet, while his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, and coach, Mikihito Kuromiya, lost their passports.

Reflecting on the incident, Matsuyama stated, “It was an unfortunate situation. Luckily, I only lost my wallet, but Shota and the coach lost their passports. We’re working hard to get their visas sorted, and hopefully, we can reunite as a team soon.”

Despite the disruption, Hayafuji managed to secure the necessary paperwork to join Matsuyama in Denver for the BMW Championship. Kuromiya was also working to obtain a new visa, aiming to be back in time for the Tour Championship.

However, the efforts to overcome such a disruptive period and the success with an unfamiliar caddie might prove fruitless if Matsuyama is unable to compete in the Tour Championship, placing his FedEx Cup aspirations in jeopardy.