La Jornada – Hideki Matsuyama, first Japanese to win a “Grand Slam”

Augusta. Hideki Matsuyama couldn’t control the crying before the applause from the crowd that accompanied him to witness a historic Japanese victory in the Augusta Masters, in one final heart attack.

Captured as he bowed, Matsuyama turned to the traditional business wearing the Green 85 Champion Jacket presented to him by Dustin Johnson.

The new champion hopes, through an interpreter, that his victory will inspire more players in his country. “I hope to be a pioneer and other Japanese will come later. I am delighted to open the doors wide and hope more will follow.”

Is the first Big Slash Strikes From the 29-year-old goalkeeper, who maintained their lead on Saturday and closed off Augusta National with a final round of 73 shots.

The new monarch closed the tournament with a cumulative hit of 278 strokes, 10 below par, one less than Will Zalatores, who was striving to be the first rookie to win the famous tournament since 1979.

The Japanese, the twenty-fifth of rating PGA, is the second Asian to raise a title Pioneer, After South Korea’s Yang Young Yeon, in 2009, at the PGA Championship.

Two hits hit Americans Jordan Speth and Xavier Schauffele, who was paired with Matsuyama and came to an end with options until he committed a hat-trick. a ghost In the sixteenth hole.

Spaniard John Ram, third in the standings, starred in the best round of the day with 66 strokes, six below par, putting him in last fifth place, while England’s Justin Rose, who was ahead in the first two rounds. , Ranked seventh.

Mexico’s Abraham Anser climbed to 26th after finishing the round with 70 strikes, two on a par, while Chilean Joaquin Nyman and Colombian Sebastian Muñoz finished 40.

Matsuyama won a prize of $ 2.07 million and a prominent place in Japanese sports history. The best hits PGA golfers have achieved were runners-up from a Pioneer: Isao Aoki at the US Open in 1980 and Matsuyama himself at the same tournament in 2017.

On the women’s circuit, Japan has already celebrated the victories of Hinako Shibono in the 2019 British Open and Chako Higuchi in the 1977 LPGA Championship.

Hideki hasn’t won a PGA circuit since the 2017 WGC at Akron, but he’s been in the tour seven times. Top 10 tournaments Big Slash Strikes.

Yesterday, the Japanese saw his initial advance from four shots reduced to one by sending his first shot into the trees and taking a hit. a ghost In the first hole.

But he resisted and recovered quickly with Prof. a bird In the second hole. With his rivals faltering, Matsuyama saved a tie in the fifth b-hole Hit Six meters and I used an ingenious touch with a short iron to get it Birds On the eighth and ninth.

The Japanese benefited from five strokes, but between holes 12 and 16 he went through his worst moments with 3 strokes a ghost And sending two balls into the water, sparking tension in Augusta National.

With four Birds Back-to-back between holes 12 and 15, Schauffele was two hits away but spoiled his comeback at 16 by throwing the ball into the water and making his first hat-trick a ghost In 42 holes he played in tournaments Big Slash Strikes.

With Schauffele turning away, Matsuyama was only fighting his nerves and was able to allow himself to make a mistake. a ghost In the last hole to secure the cup.

Tiger Woods congratulated the champion on his Twitter account: “Congratulations on this great achievement for you and your country. This historic victory will have an impact on the entire golf world. ”