Hideki Matsuyama has won the 85th Masters Tournament, claiming the coveted Green Jacket for the first time to become Japan’s first male major champion.
Holding a four-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round, Matsuyama fired a one-over-par 73 to finish on 10-under-par to win by one stroke from American debutant Will Zalatoris and become Japan’s first major winner and the first Asian player to claim the iconic Green Jacket.
With this triumph, the 29-year-old Rolex ambassador from Japan secured the first major title of his career and 15th worldwide victory, joining an esteemed group of players to have captured ‘low amateur’ honours at Augusta National (2011) and then go on to win the Masters as a professional including fellow Rolex testimonees Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
Following his victory, Matsuyama, said: “I am really happy to win. Hopefully I will be a pioneer in winning this tournament. I am glad to be able to open the floodgates, hopefully, and many more Japanese players will follow me.”
Enhancing Rolex’s rich heritage at the Masters, Hideki Matsuyama adds his name to a long list of Testimonees to have donned the Green Jacket, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who won an 13 Masters titles between them over a 28-year period between 1958-86.