Shigeki Maruyama is a key determine behind the scenes of the 2024 Presidents Cup.
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MONTREAL — On the Presidents Cup the Worldwide Staff is continually reminded of 1 factor: They by no means win this occasion.
Nearly by no means, that’s.
However it may well, the truth is, be accomplished. Want proof? It’s there within the locker room. He’s there within the locker room. A 5-foot-7, Presidents Cup-winning, Tiger-and-Phil-beating, undefeated legend. And he simply may be the Worldwide Staff’s secret weapon this time round.
First, a visit again in time. The yr was 1998 and it was the third-ever enjoying of the Presidents Cup, now making its first journey outdoors the USA. Australia’s Royal Melbourne performed host, 22-year-old World No. 1 Tiger Woods made his occasion debut for the U.S. and Jack Nicklaus was workforce captain. The remainder of the American roster was stacked, too: World No. 2 Mark O’Meara, No. 3 David Duval, No. 4 Davis Love III, No. 10 Phil Mickelson, No. 11 Fred {Couples} — you get the concept.
However then one thing humorous occurred: the Worldwide workforce, captained by Peter Thomson, received the primary three matches and by no means seemed again. They gave the Individuals a drubbing, unprecedented earlier than and unmatched since. Their unlikely chief that week? Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama, who entered the week as a high expertise from the Japan Tour however a relative unknown on the worldwide stage; he was an occasion rookie and World No. 43, decrease than the lowest-ranked American. Regardless of: He teamed up with two of the lowest-ranked golfers within the subject and went undefeated, 5-0-0, beating a few of the splashiest names within the sport en path to an ideal week.
Maruyama’s dominant run started that Friday morning (the competitors was simply three days on the time) alongside foursomes accomplice Craig Parry, Aussie and World No. 53. The 2 took down Lee Janzen and Scott Hoch 3 and a couple of. That afternoon Maruyama performed four-ball alongside countryman Joe Ozaki (World No. 55, brother of the better-known Jumbo Ozaki) and beat Mark Calcavecchia and John Huston 4 and three. The Internationals opened up a 7-3 lead.
On Saturday, Maruyama and Parry went up towards a star-studded American pairing of Woods and {Couples}, who succeeded solely in forcing Maruyama to truly attain the 18th gap — however the Worldwide facet nonetheless received, 1 up, as a part of a 4.5-0.5 rout within the session that each one however put the Cup to mattress. That afternoon Maruyama and Ozaki took on the Individuals’ different premier partnership, Duval and Mickelson. Once more they walked off with a 1 up victory, and Maruyama left sporting the successful grin that gave him his nickname: the “Smiling Assasin.”
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On Sunday, Maruyama completed his week by dealing with Huston to the tune of a 3-and-2 victory, capping off a efficiency that is still historic for a lot of causes. Maruyama’s 5-0-0 file was the primary for an Worldwide participant; just one participant (Branden Grace in 2015) has matched it since. And 1998 stays the lone victory for the Worldwide workforce, which is especially notable as a result of it got here in a 20.5-11.5 nine-point drubbing.
“As I used to be a rookie, and each American participant was a famous person, I used to be not afraid of the matches,” Maruyama mentioned in a current interview with China Each day. He additionally recalled how Thomson had urged them to maintain spirits excessive all through the competitors. “I might additionally smile rather a lot and yell ‘wow!’ to encourage the workforce,” Maruyama added.
“After the occasion was over, I assumed it could be humorous to indicate off, and I bear in mind placing the Cup on my head and shouting fortunately.”
What adopted is arguably the long-lasting picture of that win.
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However two and a half many years of futility have adopted. The Worldwide facet earned a tie in 2003 however have misplaced 9 in a row since then; an American victory at Royal Montreal this week would make 10. Maruyama performed only one extra Cup; he went 1-2-0 as a part of a shedding effort at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in 2000. However his .750 successful proportion stays the very best of any Worldwide participant who’s performed a number of occasions.
And now he’s again.
MARUYAMA SAT QUIETLY on the finish of the captains’ assistants press convention on Wednesday afternoon at Royal Montreal, the oldest of the 9 males on stage. Fellow assistant Ernie Els, who went 3-1-1 as a part of that 1998 workforce, recalled their celebratory get together, the way it stretched from the blackjack desk to the airplane and the way it was fortunate they had been permitted to board in any respect. Furyk, who was on the shedding facet as a Presidents Cup rookie that week, is the U.S. captain this week. To the twentysomethings comprising this week’s groups, that win might really feel like historic historical past, but it surely hasn’t light from the Presidents Cup’s collective reminiscence. Not simply but.
Maruyama perked up as a reporter directed a query his method for the primary time. Had he gotten to share any tales to this point with the workforce? Any knowledge? Had he gotten to brag about that 5-0-0 week? He shook his head, then delivered a prolonged, considerate monologue in Japanese to the assembled (largely English-speaking) media. Fellow assistant Camilo Villegas leaned into his microphone as Maruyama completed his remarks.
“Get all that?” he added, drawing laughs.
A translator handed on Maruyama’s remarks. “I haven’t had an excellent probability to speak to all these guys all that a lot about that have simply because my English isn’t as fluent, so it’s laborious to speak,” he mentioned. “I realized numerous issues that week, and I realized that my sport might translate on this planet, all over the world, too, not simply in Japan. If a few of these guys wish to have a speak about it or something, I’m all the time open to it, and we will talk about it extra in depth. I’d like to assist the workforce in any method I can.”
Maruyama’s function is completely different as this level in his life; he’s lengthy since moved on from a enjoying profession. He received thrice on the PGA Tour — in 2001, 2002 and 2003 — however misplaced full standing after the 2008 season and returned to play extra often in Japan. The 2012 season was the final by which he performed greater than a handful of occasions; 2016 was the final time he teed it up in any OWGR-sanctioned competitors. However that didn’t imply he left golf; Maruyama remained concerned behind the scenes and resurfaced this summer season as Staff Japan’s head coach on the Olympic Video games, the place considered one of his gamers, Hideki Matsuyama, received bronze.
(Maruyama additionally took a photograph with longtime admirer Tommy Fleetwood, who known as him considered one of his “childhood heroes.”)
A month later the Worldwide workforce introduced that captain Mike Weir was bringing Maruyama aboard as the ultimate member its workers, partially because of the constructive rapport with the workforce’s lone Japanese consultant.
“Mike [Weir] felt that Hideki was barely completely different from the same old Hideki he was conversant in [in Paris],” Maruyama instructed China Each day, explaining what he brings to the workforce. “Throughout observe, we tried to maintain issues mild and pleasant, with out getting in Hideki’s method. We had been guffawing, and having an excellent time.
“Seeing Hideki laughing like that was uncommon for Mike, so he talked about that my presence was in all probability important.”
Unlocking Matsuyama might show pivotal within the workforce’s efforts to finish its shedding streak. He enters as their top-ranked participant at World No. 7 — and with loads of stress on his shoulders.
“He’s so good, and you already know, we’re going to lean on him this week,” mentioned Adam Scott, the workforce’s longest-tenured veteran. “We want him to ship factors. We want our greatest participant to ship factors.”
Scott couldn’t assist however grin when requested about Maruyama, too.
“Yeah, effectively, he’s fairly a persona. You realize, he’s a smiley face for us,” he mentioned. “You realize, he’s an incredible addition, clearly, for Hideki. However for me, too, and simply usually a constructive individual, and that’s what you need round this week.”
Weir spoke to Maruyama’s addition, too.
“Hideki’s nice. He’s considered one of our leaders clearly. And having Shigeki right here, who was key in 1998, going 5-0 as a rookie to win. Seeing him, we competed towards Shigeki for a few years, and to see his face once more again has been nice for us,” Weir mentioned Tuesday.
“He’s only a nice character. I believe it places a smile on Hideki’s face. He’s been the lone Japanese participant right here for all of the occasions he’s performed. He may need somebody from his workforce with him, however he hasn’t had a teammate. There hasn’t been two Japanese on the similar time for him. So to have Shigeki right here for him is nice. He’s been implausible within the workforce room.
“Everyone is aware of who Shigeki is,” Weir concluded. “Even the younger guys know who he’s. We confirmed them movies — in Australia clearly they known as him the ‘Smiling Murderer’ again then. He’s a lighthearted man and enjoyable to be round.”
A lighthearted man with a successful resume? Not a nasty instance for the remainder of the locker room to observe.
“Oh, we let the boys within the locker room know,” mentioned fellow assistant Trevor Immelman. “He’s completely been spoken about this week.”
