Hideki Matsuyama dismisses cheating controversy at PGA Tour event

Hideki Matsuyama Dismisses Rules Controversy and Attributes Victory to Equipment Change

Hideki Matsuyama, the former Masters champion, has downplayed a rules controversy that arose during the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind, where he ultimately clinched his 10th PGA Tour victory. Despite a brief struggle that saw his commanding five-stroke lead diminish to a one-stroke deficit, Matsuyama managed to recover and secure the title with a final score of $3,600,000.

Matsuyama’s final round was marked by a series of challenges. After starting with a substantial lead, his performance faltered on the back nine. He made a bogey on the 12th hole, dropped another shot on the 14th, and doubled the 15th, which briefly saw him fall behind in the standings. However, he managed to regain his composure and finished strong with two crucial birdies to take the top prize.

The golfer’s brief lapse coincided with a rules issue. During the round, Matsuyama was informed that tournament officials were reviewing his actions on the par-4 7th hole, where he had used his foot to repair a pitch mark off the green. This action led to speculation that he might face a two-stroke penalty. However, it was later determined that the mark was far enough from his intended line of play, and no penalty was applied.

Matsuyama addressed the situation, stating, “If I was worried that I had done something wrong and was going to be penalized, that would have rattled me. But it was really a non-issue so it was fine.” He even humorously suggested that the incident might have contributed to his victory, saying, “Maybe because of that [being robbed], I won this week.”

In an unrelated but notable incident from the previous week, Matsuyama had reported being robbed during a stopover in London on his way to Memphis. The theft included his wallet, as well as the passports and visas of his caddie, Shota Hayato, and his coach, Mikihito Kuromiya. As a result, Taiga Tabuchi stepped in as Matsuyama’s caddie for the tournament. Though Matsuyama had limited interaction with Tabuchi prior to the event, he found the caddie’s support invaluable. “He was a great help to me. Helped me read a lot of putts. A lot of good lines that he gave me,” Matsuyama commented.

Matsuyama confirmed that Shota Hayato will resume his role as caddie for the upcoming BMW Championship. Additionally, Matsuyama attributed part of his success to a recent equipment change. Known for frequently experimenting with new putters, Matsuyama chose to use a different Scotty Cameron model for this tournament. “I felt like I needed a change of pace, kind of a refresh with my putter,” he said. “I thought about the putters I had, and I felt—because I knew this course and the condition of the greens—that this putter might work, and it did. I putted great, and I won. Whether or not I’ll use it next week, we’ll see.”

Matsuyama’s victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship underscores his resilience and adaptability, both on and off the course.