Hideki Matsuyama becomes first male Japanese player to win the Masters in nail-biting finish

Hideki Matsuyama pulled off a victory at the Masters on Sunday by one stroke after bouncing back from trouble on the 15th hole and a first hole bogey. He is the first male Japanese player to win a major tournament. 

“I’m really happy,” Matsuyama said as the green jacket ceremony kicked off inside Butler Cabin after the final round.  

Matsuyama was at the top of the leaderboard going into Sunday’s final after a bogey-free round on Saturday, but he bogeyed the first hole on Sunday. He followed up with three birdies before a bogey on the 15th hole shrank his lead to 2. But Xander Schauffele triple-bogeyed the 16th, knocking him behind Jordan Spieth.

Matsuyama is the sixth first-time green jacket winner in the last seven Masters Tournaments, with Tiger Woods’ rousing victory in 2019 the lone outlier, CBS Sports reports.

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan holds the trophy after winning the Masters golf tournament on Sunday, April 11, 2021, in Augusta, Georgia. David J. Phillip / AP