Hideki Matsuyama, his caddie Shota Hayafuji and coach Mikihito Kuromiya were all victims of a robbery in London last week.
The Japanese group were in the English capital for a brief stopover following the Paris 2024 Olympic games – where Matsuyama claimed bronze – and were due to fly over to America for the upcoming FedEx Cup Playoffs.
However, while they were in London, Matsuyama had his wallet stolen and both Hayafuji and Kuromiya were robbed of their passports. The 2021 Masters champion did not have his bronze medal taken, thankfully, and was seen posing with it once he arrived in the US.
As a result of the theft, Matsuyama’s caddie and coach were forced to return to Japan in order to have their passports and visas reissued. To add insult to what is already a traumatic situation, the very earliest they will be able to make it out to the United States of America is just before the Tour Championship in two week’s time.
Speaking to Golf Digest Japan, Matsuyama said: “There’s a chance they’ll make it, but we have to go into [the FedEx Cup Playoffs] thinking it’s close to zero.”
Hayafuji (left) and Matsuyama
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Without Hayafuji at his side, the 32-year-old will have Taiga Tabuchi at his side for the Playoffs, the caddie who recently worked with PGA Tour and DP World Tour pro, Ryo Hisatsune.
Matsuyama express his gratitude to Tabuchi and says he plans to take on all of the responsibility for his game over the next fortnight.
The Japanese pro said: “I’m glad he accepted. He’s worked with Hisatsune this year, so I think he knows the ropes, and he can speak English, so I can rely on him.
“I’m going to play golf as if I went back to the way I was before I had a coach. I feel like all the responsibility is on me. I’m looking forward to that for the first time in a while. I want to pass on to [Tabuchi] what I’ve cultivated with Shota [Hayafuji] on the course.”
Matsuyama begins his Playoff campaign at the FedEx St Jude Championship – hosted by TPC Southwind – this week before likely moving on to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines via the top-50 in the standings days later.
The former World No.2 will hope to see both his long-standing caddie and coach return ahead of the Tour Championship at East Lake towards the end of the month, with the current FedEx Cup No.8…
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