Hideki Matsuyama robbed at airport after profitable bronze at Olympics

The primary leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs begins Thursday on the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn., however Olympics bronze medalist Hideki Matsuyama will likely be with out his common caddie and coach.

Matsuyama informed Japan Golf Digest they have been robbed on the London airport whereas touring again from the Olympic Video games in Paris, France. Matsuyama stated his pockets was stolen, whereas his caddie, Shota Hiyato, and coach, Mikhito Kuromiya, misplaced their passports and visas.

Hiyato and Kuromiya needed to return to Japan to repair their passport points. The second playoff cease is subsequent week’s BMW Championship in Colorado, and it’s unclear in the event that they’ll return in time.

Matsuyama informed reporters he’s utilizing Taiga Tabuchi this week, who’s the common caddie for Japanese professional Ryo Hisatsune.

“I’m going to play golf as if I went again to the best way I used to be earlier than I had a coach,” Matsuyama stated. “I really feel like all of the accountability is on me.”

Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, is ranked eighth within the FedEx Cup standings, that means he’s in fine condition to play the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake.

He shot a final-round 65 at Le Golf Nationwide outdoors of Paris on Aug. 4, which was adequate to safe the bronze medal by one stroke over Victor Perez. Matsuyama stated his medal was not stolen.

Matsuyama is paired with Sahith Theegala for the primary spherical of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, going off at 1:35 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of many sport’s most-read information and repair web sites. He spends most of his days writing, modifying, planning and questioning if he’ll ever break 80. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF.com in 2015, he labored at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State College in Mankato, Minn., he resides within the Twin Cities together with his spouse and two children. You’ll be able to attain him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.