First Look At The Matsuyama Effect On Golf In Japan

An unbylined AFP story looks at Hideki Matsuyama’s possible impact on Japan’s golfdom.

Matsuyama’s victory was watched by a rapt TV audience in his home country, where around seven million people play golf.

It prompted blanket media coverage as newspapers rushed to publish special online editions.

At a large driving range in Tokyo on Monday, amateur players were savouring Matsuyama’s victory as they hit balls off the tees.

“When I saw that Matsuyama, who is usually very stoic, had tears in his eyes, and when I heard the emotion in the commentator’s voice, I couldn’t hold back my own tears,” said restaurant owner Teruyuki Onogi.

This sounds familiar…

At the driving range on Monday, restaurant owner Onogi agreed that Matsuyama’s win could help revamp golf’s image in Japan.

“As the news spreads, people might stop considering golf to be a sport played by old men, and take an interest in it,” he said.

“If we can create a more inclusive environment that allows people to take up golf more easily, I think Japanese will become better at it.”