OLYMPICS/ Matsuyama all smiles this napoli fctime as he claims the bronze medal

By KOGO SHIOYA/ Staff Writer

August 5, 2024 at 17:53 JST

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Hideki Matsuyama hits a tee shot on the second hole in the final round at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 4. (Yuki Shibata)

PARIS--Japanese golf superstar Hideki Matsuyama didn't shed any tears after clinching the bronze medal here in the Paris Olympics on Aug. 4 but his longtime coach did.

Instead, Matsuyama was all smiles as he became the first Japanese to stand on the medals podium in the Olympic men's golf competition. 

The 32-year-old player tied for fourth place in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago after losing a playoff for the bronze medal among seven players.

But this time, there was no need for a playoff as Matsuyama took third place on his own.

“I’m glad to get a medal,” Matsuyama told reporters after receiving the shining bronze medal around his neck on the podium.

Asked about the weight of the medal, “It is simply heavy,” he said.

Matsuyama started the final day in fourth place, three strokes behind the leader.

He made his first birdie on the second hole and then scored three consecutive birdies from the fourth hole.

He made up the deficit with a strong front nine, turning for the back nine at 15 under par.

He birdied the 10th and 12th holes, extending his score to 17 under par.

After the 15th hole, the course features wide ponds to catch wayward shots. 

"When hitting his tee shots, he feels so much pressure. He must have felt nauseated from around the 15th hole," said Matsuyama’s coach, Shigeki Maruyama, a former top Japanese player who won three times on the PGA Tour.

Despite the pressure, Matsuyama managed to find the fairway each time.

He maintained his 17-under-par total with precision iron shots and finished in solo third place.

He prepared for a possible playoff by staying loose and practicing putting while waiting for the final players to finish.

But when his place on the podium was confirmed, his coach was moved to tears.

"Maruyama has been coaching me since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics," Matsuyama said.

"I'm happy we were able to win a medal," he also said but he did not shed any tears.