Matsuyama eyes another slice of golf history at WM Phoenix Open

Hideki Matsuyama has already etched his name in golf 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 No. 5 returns to TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona as one of the top contenders in the US$9.2 million showpiece dubbed the ‘People’s Open’ due to a its fans’ experience and a famous par-3 16^th hole which has a daunting stadium-like arena built around it.

Matsuyama won back-to-back WM Phoenix Open in 2016 and 2017, holds three other top-10s (T4/2014, T2/2015, T8/2022) and has 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 the season-opening, The Sentry in Hawaii last month 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 No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, himself a two-time winner in Phoenix, in a field which features 29 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.

“I’d definitely love to be one of the few people to have ever accomplished that,” said Matsuyama, who hopes to join the likes of Arnold Palmer (1961, 1962, 1963), Gene Littler (1955, 1959, 1969), Mark Calcavecchia (1989, 1992, 2001) and Mickelson (1996, 2005, 2013) as a three-time champion in the tournament inaugurated in 1932.

His two victories at TPC Scottsdale were achieved in playoffs 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 just having a really good feel with my putting and making a lot of putts,” said Matsuyama.

“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 on the week of The Sentry.

Matsuyama’s Presidents Cup International teammates, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, are all teeing up at TPC Scottsdale as well, as with fellow Japanese Ryo Hisatsune.

Into his second season on the PGA TOUR, the 22-year-old Hisatsune is looking to jumpstart his 2025 campaign after a rather subdued start where a T43 at The American Express is his best finish to date. He missed the cut in 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, so 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.”

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