Matsuyama hopeful of maiden Major

Hideki Matsuyama is hoping he can carry his impressive form from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational into this week’s US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Club.

Matsuyama produced a scintillating nine-under-par final round at Firestone Country Club to clinch victory last Sunday by five shots, picking up his fifth PGA Tour title and his second in 2017. The 25-year-old remains world number three with the win and he heads into the US PGA as one of the most in-form players this year, having racked up three more top-five finishes.

Japan’s number one was tied-11th in the Masters at Augusta National, joint-second at the US Open before ending up in a share of 14th place in the Open at Royal Birkdale. All signs are pointing towards a maiden Major win for the Ehime-born star and he would become his country’s first ever winner in one of the ‘big four’ tournaments if he triumphs at Quail Hollow this week.

However, Matsuyama is not setting the bar too high although he is still feeling optimistic of his chance going into the US PGA, which gets underway on Thursday. “All I can do is my best,” he told reporters. “I know a lot of us have tried from Japan to win majors.

Hopefully, some day it will happen. I haven’t won a major yet. But that’s not to say that I don’t have confidence.”

Matsuyama is 12.00 to win the title while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is the 8.00 favourite, narrowly ahead of Open champion Jordan Spieth, who is targeting a career Grand Slam, at 10.00. World number one Dustin Johnson is a 13.00 chance whilst fellow American Rickie Fowler is just behind in the market at 15.00.