Hideki Matsuyama had to part with his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, before the start of the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Matsuyama and part of his team were victims of a robbery in London, forcing Hayafuji and the player’s coach to return to Japan.
Due to this situation, Matsuyama was forced to play with a backup caddie, Taiga Tabuchi,
who works with fellow Japanese golfer Ryo Hisatsune. Despite this contingency, Matsuyama won by two strokes in Memphis.
The experience was very positive for Tabuchi. So much so that he has decided to stay on for the BMW Championship, even though Hayafuji is already back in action.
According to the PGA Tour, Tabuchi is staying on to support Hideki Matsuyama’s team.
Shota Hayafuji and Hideki Matsuyama’s coach lost their passports in the London robbery and had to return to Japan. At that point, the player set out to find a replacement caddie and found one in Taiga Tabuchi.
“I was in Japan, taking a break,” Tabuchi said (via Golfweek), “and it was a major surprise to me [to get the call]. He’s, like, the best Asian player, so I was excited to take the offer.”
According to Tabuchi himself, Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune have played practice rounds together, so he knew the 2021 Masters champion from before. Nevertheless, he assured that the experience was ” awesome”.
Who is Shota Hayafuji, Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie?
According to Golf Monthly, Shota Hayafuji and Hideki Matsuyama began working together in 2019. As is often the case, Hayafuji also pursued a career in professional golf, albeit only for a few seasons on the Chinese Tour.
With Hayafuji holding the bag, Matsuyama has enjoyed numerous successes, including his 2021 Masters Tournament victory, which ended a four-year winless streak.
After that victory, Hayafuji went viral on social media when he greeted the Augusta National Golf Club course with a bow. It was a gesture that drew the admiration of many players and fans.
Since then, Matsuyama’s success has continued as he has won four more tournaments to date:
2021 Zozo Championship2022 Sony Open in Hawaii2024 Genesis Invitational2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship
In addition, Shota Hayafuji not only witnessed Matsuyama’s victory at the 2021 Masters, but also 10 other top-25 finishes at Majors, including two top 10s. The most recent was a 6th-place finish at the 2024 US Open.
Matsuyama began his professional career in April 2013, joining the Japan Golf Tour, where he won four events that season. He also played in seven PGA Tour events, finishing in the top-25 six times.
This performance on the American circuit earned him his card through the non-member earnings qualifying criteria. Less than a year later, he won his first PGA Tour event, the 2014 Memorial Tournament.
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Source: New York Post
