- ‘I hope they try and follow in my footsteps’, says 29-year-old
- Masters champion excited to be playing in Tokyo Olympics
Golf’s rocky relationship with the Olympic Games hardly looked like improving when Dustin Johnson, the world No 1, confirmed he would skip the chance to participate in Tokyo. Johnson was, in fact, pretty dismissive over the very concept. The sport’s return to the Olympics in 2016 was overshadowed by a host of high-profile withdrawals, with nervousness within the International Golf Federation regarding the 2021 version wholly understandable as Johnson opted out.
Enter Hideki Matsuyama. Historic Masters glory for the 29-year-old Japanese player on Sunday has added a fresh, positive dynamic to golf and the Tokyo Games. Nick Faldo, the six-times major champion, has already speculated that Matsuyama might be selected to light the Olympic cauldron in July.
Related: Hideki Matsuyama is Japanese but his victory matters for Asian Americans
Related: Hideki Matsuyama holds nerve to become Masters champion
