Hideki Matsuyama, his caddie Shota Hayafuji, and coach Mikihito Kuromiya were victims of a robbery in London last week. The trio had been in the English capital following the Paris 2024 Olympic games, where Matsuyama claimed the bronze medal. Unfortunately, during their stopover in London, Matsuyama had his wallet stolen, while both Hayafuji and Kuromiya were robbed of their passports. Thankfully, Matsuyama did not lose his bronze medal and was able to arrive in the US with it.
Following the robbery, Matsuyama’s caddie and coach were forced to return to Japan to have their passports and visas reissued. This situation meant that they would potentially miss the upcoming FedEx Cup Playoffs in America. Matsuyama expressed doubt about their chances of making it to the Playoffs in time, stating that the odds were close to zero. Without Hayafuji by his side, Matsuyama would have Taiga Tabuchi as his caddie for the Playoffs. Tabuchi had previously worked with PGA Tour and DP World Tour pro, Ryo Hisatsune.
Matsuyama expressed his gratitude to Tabuchi for accepting the role and stated that he would take on full responsibility for his game over the next few weeks. He mentioned that he planned to play golf as if he had gone back to his pre-coach days, feeling all the responsibility on himself. Matsuyama hoped to pass on to Tabuchi what he had learned with Hayafuji on the course.
The Japanese pro began his Playoff campaign at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and would likely move on to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines based on his ranking. Matsuyama aimed to have both his caddie and coach return before the Tour Championship at East Lake by the end of the month. Currently ranked No. 8 in the FedEx Cup standings, Matsuyama was looking to bounce back from his relative failure last season when he failed to finish inside the top 30 for the FedEx Cup title.
Despite the setback of the robbery, Matsuyama remained focused on the upcoming tournaments and was determined to perform well in the Playoffs. The Japanese golfer appreciated the support of his temporary caddie, Tabuchi, and was looking forward to the challenge of taking on all responsibilities for his game. Matsuyama’s positive attitude and determination to succeed despite the challenges he faced were commendable and showcased his resilience as a top-ranked professional golfer.
