Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama

32-Year-Old Golfer
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2024 Fantasy Outlook
Though this will be Matsuyama's 11th season on the PGA Tour, he'll be turning just 32 this season. That's important to note because although his game is not at the level that it was 6-7 years ago, there's still plenty of time to get back there. Unlike most of the players in the top-50, Matsuyama's earnings number actually went down this past year. That, however, is great news for anyone considering him in a salary cap format. Matsuyama earned nearly $6 million two seasons ago before elevated events were introduced, so we know he's capable of leaving his number from this past year in the dust. As such, he's a great salary cap option this season. Read Past Outlooks
Poor showing in home country
October 28, 2024
Matsuyama shot a two-under 68 in the final round to finish in a tie for 46th place at the ZOZO Championship.
ANALYSIS
It certainly was not the showing the home crowd was expecting from one of the game's top players and this now makes three straight finishes of T40-or-worse at the ZOZO Championship after logging a runner-up and a win in the first two editions of this tournament. Matsuyama was just out of sorts with the driver and ranked 54th in SG: Off-the-Tee and T73 in driving accuracy. He was also 60th in SG: Putting. It's unclear where Matsuyama might play to close out 2024, but you know he'll be looking forward to having a better showing than this.
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Hideki Matsuyama See More
Weekly PGA Recap: The ZOZO Goes to Nico
8 days ago
Thanks to a couple late birdies, Nico Echavarria took down the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP and picked up his first full-field win on the PGA Tour.
Yahoo PGA DFS Picks: ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP Cash and GPP Strategy
12 days ago
With no shortage of things working in Hideki Matsuyama's favor, Bryce Danielson will be getting him into lineups for this week's PGA DFS contests on Yahoo.
2024 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP Betting: Picks, Odds, Predictions and Best Bets
12 days ago
Max Homa has struggled for much of 2024, but Ryan Pohle thinks his odds for the ZOZO Championship are prime for the taking after some much needed time off.
Weekly PGA Preview: ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP
13 days ago
Greg Vara gets you set for the ZOZO Championship in Japan this week with his top bets, one-and-done picks and DFS values, including a trending Mark Hubbard.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
After Matsuyama won the Zozo Championship in his home country of Japan last fall and followed that with another win at the Sony Open in Hawaii a few months later, it appeared the eight-time PGA Tour winner was heading for a mega season. Unfortunately some injuries slowed his progress after that and he had a rather inconsistent summer, but it was highlighted by a solo fourth at the U.S. Open. After much consideration, Matsuyama will not make the jump to LIV and instead stay with the PGA Tour. Putting will always be the key with the 30-year-old Japanese superstar, but his ranking of 75th in SG: Off-the-Tee was his worst in that category of any season in his career. The ceiling is crazy high with Matsuyama, but the injury questions always have to give you pause.
Matsuyama has spent nearly a decade on the PGA Tour and during that time he's been a highly productive golfer and although he once earned more than $8 million in one season, nothing could compare to winning the Green Jacket, which he did this past April. Heading into that week, Matsuyama was not on anyone's radar as he hadn't played his best golf in a while, but he found the magic for one week and he'll be forever known as a major champion. As for his prospects this season, major champion or not, it doesn't appear like his performance is going to change much overall. He's capable of posting a much bigger earnings number than he did last year, but the bar was set pretty high.
Matsuyama has been the model of consistency in his eight years on the PGA Tour, but surprisingly, he's had just one really impressive year. Surprising because Matsuyama is often thought as one of the best players in the world and yet he has surpassed $5 million in earnings just once. His 2019-20 season was much like most of his seasons on the PGA Tour, very productive, but not elite. Perhaps an elite season is on the horizon, but to expect that this season is just pure speculation.
Six years into his PGA Tour career, it's beginning to look like Matsuyama is destined to be a really good golfer instead of an elite golfer. He had an elite season in 2017, when he won three events and topped $8 million in earnings, but prior to that and since then, he's settled-in around $4 million per season. Last season he failed to even get to $4 million, which puts him in-play as salary cap option this season, but don't expect another $8 million season.
What a strange and ultimately frustrating season for Matsuyama. Matsuyama's year started just fine, with a T4 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and a T12 at the Farmers, but it all started to fall apart with because of a wrist injury at the Waste Management Open. It's an event that he had won the previous two seasons and not only did he not win there, but his wrist would hamper his production for much of the season. He did start to find some momentum near the end of the season, but his game had become wildly erratic by then. Frustrating for owners who had Matsuyama last season for sure, but the upside is, he's available at a discount price this season. As such, Matsuyama is very close to a must-have this season as he's averaged over $6 million per season in the two seasons leading up to last season.
Matsuyama ranked 173rd in strokes-gained on the greens last season and he still made more than $8 million. Let that sink in, he was one of the worst putters on the PGA Tour and he still managed to earn more than all but three golfers last season. It gives you an idea of how well Matsuyama strikes the ball that he can score without the aid of a putter most weeks. Now, here's the tricky part, it would be easy to assume he's going to improve his putting, but curing putting woes is never a given. If he does fix his putting, he has enough firepower to significantly improve on his enormous number from last season. If he doesn't fix the putter, he simply can't perform any better than he did last season. As such, it's probably wise to pass on Matsuyama in salary cap leagues this season.
Matsuyama made the cut in 13 of 16 starts, recorded seven top-10s, scored one victory and earned over $4 million, all the while ranking 125th in stokes gained from putting. Imagine what he could have accomplished if he'd putted with any kind of competence last season? With that in mind, Matsuyama makes for an interesting salary cap option this year because his ceiling should be in the range of someone like Adam Scott, who happened to make nearly $6.5 million last year. In draft leagues, Matsuyama is a first-round selection.
Matsuyama entered the 2014 season with a lot of expectations, and for the most part, he didn't disappoint. Matsuyama is actually one of only a few players over the past decade that have lived-up to early expectations, which can only mean that great things lie ahead. The only problem with Matsuyama is his high number from last season. He's probably worth the risk in salary cap leagues, but at nearly $3 million he can't be considered a "must-have". In draft leagues he should go late in the 2nd or early in the 3rd round.
Matsuyama shocked the golf world by winning FedEx Cup playoff event a few years back, but it's been all down hill since. Upside appears limited.
More Fantasy News
T9 in season finale
September 3, 2024
Matsuyama (back) closed with a four-under 67 on Sunday to finish in a tie for ninth place at the TOUR Championship.
ANALYSIS
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Tees off as expected
August 29, 2024
Matsuyama (back) teed off as scheduled in the TOUR Championship.
ANALYSIS
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Still dealing with back injury
Back
August 28, 2024
Matsuyama said his back is feeling around 50 or 60 percent, but he thinks he can make it through the TOUR Championship this week, according to Golf Injury Report on X.
ANALYSIS
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Teeing it up at East Lake
August 26, 2024
Matsuyama (back) is listed in the field for the TOUR Championship this week.
ANALYSIS
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Withdraws from BMW Championship
Back
August 23, 2024
Matsuyama withdrew before the second round of the BMW Championship due to a back injury, per PGA Tour Communications.
ANALYSIS
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