Hideki Matsuyama wins on Japan Tour

November 14, 2011 | by Golfweek

Hideki Matsuyama, the two-time Asian Amateur champion who impressed at this year’s Masters, won the Taiheiyo Masters on Sunday

By Sean Martin, Golfweek Hideki Matsuyama, the two-time Asian Amateur champion who impressed at this year’s Masters, won the Japan Tour’s Taiheiyo Masters on Sunday, becoming the third amateur to win on the Japan Tour. Matsuyama, 19, eagled the par-5 18th to win by two shots over Toru Taniguchi, the 72nd-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking. Matsuyama finished at 13-under 203 (71-64-68). “I didn’t expect to win this tournament,” Matsuyama told The Japan Times. “At the 18th hole, (final-group playing competitor Toru) Taniguchi-san set up an eagle chance, so I just tried to follow him with a shot of my own.” Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Sang-Moon Bae, No. 27 in the OWGR, were among the players tied for third at 10-under par. Ryo Ishikawa, who’ll join Schwartzel at this week’s Presidents Cup in Australia, finished eighth. Another member of the International Presidents Cup team, Kyung-Tae Kim, finished 15th. Matsuyama birdied Nos. 14 and 15 before eagling the final hole at Taiheiyo Club’s Gotemba Course. The victory moved him to No. 196 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He entered the event ranked sixth in the R&A’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. The World Amateur Golf Ranking will be updated Wednesday. Matsuyama finished 27th at this year’s Masters to earn low-amateur honors. He won his second consecutive Asian Amateur, on Oct. 2 at Singapore Island Country Club. That victory earned him an invitation to the 2012 Masters. He has made the cut in five of seven Japan Tour starts over the past two seasons, finishing in the top 10 three times. In addition to his Taiheiyo Masters victory, he finished sixth at this year’s Sun Chlorella Classic and third at the 2010 Japan Open. Ishikawa, who won the 2010 Taiheiyo Masters, aced the 228-yard, par-3 17th Sunday with a 4-iron. He was the most recent amateur to have won on the Japan Tour. He was 15 years old when he won the 2007 Munsingwear Open KSB Cup. Masahiro Kuramoto was the first amateur to win in tour history, at the 1980 Chugoku-Shikoku Open. The Taiheiyo Masters was reduced to 54 holes after rain washed out second-round play.

Most Popular Articles

Rory McIlroy Wins 2026 Seminole Pro-Member With Dad Gerry

Mar 2, 2026Rory McIlroy added another trophy to the mantle on golf’s most exclusive Monday, teaming with father Gerry at Seminole Golf Club.

U.S. Open Qualifying 2026: Local & Final Qualifying Sites for Shinnecock

Feb 19, 2026The road to Shinnecock Hills begins in April as 110 local qualifying sites and 13 final qualifying venues are set.

FINAL RESULTS: Gasparilla Invitational 2026

Feb 21, 2026Hayes Brown wins Gasparilla at 2-under, edging Peyton White by one, while Jeff Frazier claims the Senior title at Palma Ceia.

Michael McCoy Wins 2026 Jones Cup Senior Invitational at Sea Island

Feb 26, 20262026 Jones Cup Senior Invitational at Sea Island’s Seaside Course Final Results + Leaderboard

2026 San Francisco City Championship Qualifier Round 2 COMPLETE

Mar 8, 2026Alexander Thu surges to No. 1 seed and 48 Players are moving on to Match Play at TPC Harding Park.

Filters

Loading latest news...

Loading article...