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2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama is known on tour as a putter fiddler, but he's been known to dislike constantly changing the putter he keeps in his bag.
But when he did make that switch, he had a habit of paying a handsome price.
The Japanese star shot two rounds of 65 to top the Sentry leaderboard at 16-under 130 in the first two rounds of the PGA Tour's 2025 season opener in Hawaii. Revealed after the second lap that he was using a new putter in a new one.
Sound familiar?
Back in August at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Matsuyama took six Scotty Cameron putters to TPC Southwind, and after trying them all in practice, he decided to go with Titleist Craftsman's Circa-based Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype 62 model. Play.
“It performed very well,” he said before the final round, and he proved it.
He spent all season outside the top 100 in putts gained, but quickly climbed to the top of the category to win his second PGA Tour title of the year.
He's back to play a similar game this week.
He had a new Scotty Cameron center-shaft blade putter in his bag, which helped him record 15 birdies and one eagle in 36 holes to take the weekend lead. Collin Morikawa had one.
Two consecutive rounds of 8 under and one shot ahead
Hideki Matsuyama bogeys second round @sentinel. pic.twitter.com/P8wFmd9kqO
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 4, 2025
Matsuyama is notoriously secretive, or maybe just aloof, when it comes to talking to the media, and not just in English – the Japanese media also has trouble getting him to say much.
When he spoke midway through Kapalua, he was often brief, but he was also funny in those brief exchanges.
When he said he had just seen someone using a new putter and liked the look of it, someone asked him who that person was.
“Just a guy no one knows,” he replied.
“What do you like about it?” someone asked.
“Because (the ball) is going in,” he said with a smile.
“Do you think you'll continue to use it for a while?”
“I have no idea.”
“How many putters do you have around now?”
“Four.”
His secret on the greens, it seems, is to have plenty of options and choose the one that feels best that day.
His interesting reactions aren't limited to his putts, however.
How about: “What’s the best thing you’ve done outside of the island golf course this week?”
“Did nothing.” He deadpanned.
Or: “How do you think this week is different in Hawaii than in past years?”
“I don't know,” he said.
He may have been aloof in interviews, but he's currently putting with enthusiasm.
Read more: Xander Schauffele puts new Callaway Elyte woods in the bag for 2025 opener
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