Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama became Japan’s first male major champion when he produced a one-stroke victory over Will Zalatoris at the Masters in 2021

The former world No 2 had gone nearly four years without a win before his spectacular victory. He could not play at Royal St George's that summer, however, after contracting Covid.

Matsuyama was joint runner-up behind Brooks Koepka at the 2017 US Open and two months later closed the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational with a 61 to triumph by five. It was his second WGC title – his first at the 2016 HSBC Champions in Shanghai came by a seven-stroke margin. He finished that year with four victories and a second place in five worldwide events.

He started 2025 by breaking records on the PGA Tour with a 35-under-par performance at The Sentry in Hawaii - his 11th title on the Tour.

Along with topping the world rankings as an amateur, he was a World University Games gold medallist, achieved back-to-back Asian Championships, made the cut at the Masters in 2011 and 2012, and has eight Japan Tour titles.

On turning professional in 2013 he became the first rookie to top their money list and was tenth and sixth respectively on his debuts at the US Open and The Open.