Hideki Matsuyama’s return journey from the 2024 Paris Olympics took an unexpected turn.
While traveling back from France to participate in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Matsuyama, his caddie, and his coach were all victims of a robbery in London. Despite the unfortunate incident, Matsuyama’s passport and newly acquired bronze Olympic medal remained intact. However, his caddie, Shota Hayato, and coach, Mikihito Kuromiya, had their passports and visas stolen.
As Matsuyama proceeded to Memphis for the tournament, Hayato and Kuromiya had to return to Japan. They are currently awaiting expedited passports and visas to rejoin Matsuyama for the PGA Tour’s playoffs, although the timeline for their return is uncertain.
“There’s a chance they’ll make it [to next week’s tournament in Colorado], but we have to go into it thinking it’s close to zero,” Matsuyama told Golf Digest Japan.
“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.”
For this week’s tournament in Tennessee, Matsuyama will be accompanied by Taiga Tabuchi, who typically caddies for Ryo Hisatsune, another Japanese golfer.
“I’m glad he accepted,” Matsuyama said. “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.”
Matsuyama, a nine-time PGA Tour winner, clinched victory earlier this season at the Genesis Invitational. Following his bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, Matsuyama is currently ranked 12th in the Official World Golf Rankings and eighth in the FedEx Cup Standings.
The top 50 finishers in this week’s tournament will progress to the BMW Championship in Denver next week. Subsequently, the top 30 players from there will advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, marking the conclusion of the 2024 season.