2021 Masters: As Masters champion, spotlight will shine more intensely on reserved Hideki Matsuyama - Golf Channel

local time in Tokyo, and the newest Masters champion was about to go live.

Over the past five hours Matsuyama had survived a nerve-wracking final round, dapped up defending champion Dustin Johnson and raised his fists in a lusty celebration that he’d wanted to reserve for the 72nd hole but that somehow, in the moment, didn’t feel right.

During the 5-minute interview, Matsuyama smiled and occasionally laughed, his hands clasped behind his back, but he never answered for more than 30 seconds.

Matsuyama, 29, has spoken previously about wanting to be a pioneer, to serve as an inspiration for his fellow countrymen. So in his first interview after winning the Masters, what was he saying? ?

Matsuyama had become a national hero as his journey came full circle here at Augusta National, which first extended him an invitation to the Masters more than a decade ago.

Nobuhito Sato, a former Japan Tour player-turned-commentator, recalled hitting balls alongside the then-18-year-old at the Japan Open that year.

“I knew nothing about him,” Sato said via email, “but he was hitting them so good, and his iron shots sounded different from the others.” Sato, a nine-time tour winner, missed the cut that week; Matsuyama, still just an amateur, finished third.

The nation has produced a pair of women’s major champions – and the latest Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, Tsubasa Kajitani – but never a men’s Grand Slam winner despite the global success of Isao Aoki (first to win on the PGA Tour), Jumbo Ozaki (94 Japan Tour wins) and Nakajima (former top-5 player in the world).

“It was his confidence,” said Ryuji Imada, who became the third Japanese player to win on Tour, in 2008.

We really haven’t had that from a Japanese player in a while, and you need that, to be a modern player and compete physically with the other guys.”.

Said Eiko Oizumi, a freelancer golf writer in Japan: “Because Hideki is the only Japanese player who has the possibility to win the big events around the world, Japanese people expect him to win majors.” And the Masters was the ultimate prize.

“He’s pretty shy, but typical Japanese though,” Sato said.

The same age as Matsuyama, Ishikawa was dubbed the “Bashful Prince” and routinely held court with reporters; Matsuyama was tight-lipped and, though he grew to understand his professional obligations, still dreaded the post-round debriefs.

It’s a common refrain among the Japanese press that while Matsuyama doesn’t speak much English, well, he doesn’t speak much Japanese either.

They’ve had a complex and complicated relationship with the superstar over the past few years, and multiple reporters said it’s harder to interview Matsuyama than any other player on Tour.

That's why even among the home press corps there’s a dearth of information surrounding Matsuyama.

Hideki Matsuyama's Masters win will be hailed in his home country, but the impact could be greater than we can imagine.

“People know that he’s a great golfer – probably the best Japanese golfer ever,” Sato said.

Coming into the Masters with little expectations after failing to contend all year, Matsuyama shot a second-nine 30 Saturday to surge into the lead.

So crushed while meeting with the press afterward, he buried his head in his hands and sobbed.

He arrived at the course early and looked jittery on the opening hole, when a drive into the trees led to a bogey and, coupled with two birdies from Masters rookie Will Zalatoris, cut his four-shot lead into a one-stroke advantage, just 15 minutes into the round.

“Man, he was something else,” Schauffele said afterward.

“No one really wants to talk about how much pressure is on him,” he said.

Sporting his new green jacket for the first time, Matsuyama made a typically short speech during the trophy presentation, saying in Japanese how honored he was to win at Augusta National and punctuating his remarks with a loud “Thank you!”, like a rocker exiting the stage after a lively set, his arms held aloft in triumph.

But first, he headed to the flash area outside the clubhouse, where Ito and a captive audience were waiting to hear from the new Masters champion

At the end of the interview, Matsuyama delivered a message directly to his home region, about how proud he was to have represented them today

Hideki Matsuyama's Masters win will be hailed in his home country, but the impact could be greater than we can imagine