Hideki Matsuyama makes history with Masters golf victory

AUGUSTA, Georgia — Hideki Matsuyama has delivered golf-mad Japan the grandest and greenest prize of all.

A decade after Matsuyama made a sterling debut as the best amateur at Augusta National, he claimed the ultimate trophy with a victory in the Masters.

Matsuyama becomes the first Japanese winner of a men’s major championship. He’s just the second male from an Asian country to capture a major, following Y.E. Yang of South Korea at the 2009 PGA Championship.

Moments before Dustin Johnson helped him into the green jacket, Matsuyama needed no interpreter in Butler Cabin when he said in English, “I’m really happy.”

Never mind that Matsuyama bogeyed three of his last four holes, shooting a 1-over 73, and making him the first Masters champion with a final round over par since Trevor Immelman shot 75 in 2008.

All that mattered was that uphill walk to the 18th green. He blasted out of the bunker and took two putts to seal a one-stroke victory over Masters rookie Will Zalatoris.

Matsuyama says he hopes to be “a pioneer and many other Japanese will follow.”

A five-time winner on the PGA Tour, Matsuyama took control of the tournament with a brilliant 65 on Saturday, doing his best work after a rain delay.

Xander Schauffele closed within two strokes Sunday after Matsuyama knocked one in the water and made bogey at No. 15. But Schauffele put one in the water at the 16th and took the first triple-bogey of his major championship career.

That cleared the way for Matsuyama to claim the green jacket. He made a bogey at No. 18 but that was enough to hold off Masters rookie Will Zalatoris, who stamped himself as a future star with a 9-under 279.

Matsuyama was one shot better at 278.