PGA Tour star Hideki Matsuyama — who recently won a bronze medal for Japan at the Paris Olympics — will be without his caddie and coach when the FedEx Cup Playoffs begin, after he and his team were robbed during a stop over in London.
The FedEx St. Jude Championship starts Thursday at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
Here's what happened to Hideki Matsuyama.
Hideki Matsuyama robbed in London
Matsuyama's wallet was stolen, but not his passport or Olympics medal — which he is traveling with — per his accounting to Golf Digest Japan. Matsuyama's caddie, Shota Hayato, and swing coach, Mikihito Kuromiya, did, unfortunately, have their passports and visas taken. They'll be returning to Japan to obtain the proper documents in expedited fashion, with hopes to rejoin Matsuyama in the United States.
The top 50 finishers at TPC Southwind will advance to the BMW Championship in Colorado. The top 30 at Castle Pines progress to the TOUR Championship at East Lake, which begins on Aug. 29.
“There's a chance they'll make it, but we have to go into it thinking it's close to zero,” Matsuyama told Golf Digest Japan about his colleagues' chances of getting to Colorado.
Taiga Tabuchi, who typically caddies for Ryo Hisatsune of Japan, will carry Matsuyama's clubs at the St. Jude, per the PGA Tour. (Hisatsune finished 84th in the FedEx Cup standings, rendering him ineligible for the playoffs.)
“I’m glad he accepted,” Matsuyama said of his fill-in looper. “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, the 2021 Masters champ, finished the PGA Tour regular season at no. 8 in the FedEx Cup standings. His one 2024 win came at Tiger Woods' signature event, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Matsuyama has nine career PGA Tour wins. He's currently ranked 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
After coming up just short — like, seven-man playoff short — of the podium at the Tokyo Games, the Japanese superstar earned his Olympics medal with a stellar showing at Le Golf National, highlighted by an opening-round 63. England's Tommy Fleetwood (-18) won silver for England, while Scottie Scheffler (-19) delivered the United States a gold in epic fashion. Matsuyama finished 17-under par.
Matsuyama is paired with Sahith Theegala for the first two rounds of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. They're set to tee off at 1:35 p.m. ET on Thursday. At 25-1, Matsuyama is one of the favorites in Memphis.
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