Phoenix, Arizona, United States: Hideki Matsuyama has already etched his name into golfing folklore for standout achievements, including being the first Asian to win the Masters Tournament in 2021 and registering 11 PGA Tour victories – the most by a player from Asia.
At this week’s WM Phoenix Open, the 32-year-old Japanese superstar will shoot for another slice of sporting history where he hopes to become only the fifth player to win the storied tournament three times.
The world number five returns to TPC Scottsdale in Arizona as one of the top contenders in the US$9.2 million showpiece dubbed the ‘People’s Open’ due to the unique fan experience with the famous par-three 16th hole which has a stadium-like arena built around it.
Matsuyama won back-to-back WM Phoenix Open titles in 2016 and 2017 and has three other top-10s (T4/2014, T2/2015, T8/2022). Furthermore, he’s never missed a cut in 11 starts at the par-71 venue. He withdrew after a first round 69 in 2018 due to a wrist injury.
Winner of last month’s season-opening The Sentry in Hawaii where he fired the Tour’s lowest ever 72-hole score of 35-under, he will contend against the likes of defending champion Nick Taylor and world number one Scottie Scheffler, himself a two-time winner in Phoenix. The field features 29 of the top-50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.
“I’d love to be one of the few people to have accomplished that,” said Matsuyama, who hopes to join Arnold Palmer (1961, 1962, 1963), Gene Littler (1955, 1959, 1969), Mark Calcavecchia (1989, 1992, 2001) and Phil Mickelson (1996, 2005, 2013) as a three-time champion in the tournament inaugurated in 1932.
His two victories at TPC Scottsdale were achieved in play-offs against Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson respectively, which underscored his growing stature in the game following his maiden PGA Tour victory at the 2014 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.
“I don’t really remember too much of my wins, but I do remember having a really good feel with my putting and making a lot of putts,” said Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
“There are a number of holes out here that are really difficult and I feel like I’m struggling a bit on the greens. If I can improve on those things, I think I can have a pretty good finish. Putting is something that I always have to work on,” added the Japanese, who put a new putter in his bag for The Sentry.
The Korean quartet of Tom Kim, Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae and An Byeong-hun, Matsuyama’s Presidents Cup International team-mates, are all teeing up at TPC Scottsdale, as well as fellow Japanese Ryo Hisatsune.
Into his second season on the PGA Tour, 22-year-old Hisatsune is looking to jump-start his 2025 campaign after a rather subdued start with a tied-43rd at The American Express his best finish to date. He missed the cut on his WM Phoenix Open debut last season.
“I struggled a bit at Farmers (Insurance Open last week) and missed the cut, but I was able to get some good practice in during the weekend and I’m feeling pretty good coming here. Hopefully I can turn that into something good this week,” said Hisatsune.
“The conditions were really tough last year and I barely missed the cut which was rough, but this year I feel I have some unfinished business. I’m hoping I can play well and finish strong.”
