Whether defending his title or not, Hideki Matsuyama's Masters achievements are already in the history of golf!

A year ago, Hideki Matsuyama made history at Augusta, becoming the first Asian player to win the Masters. Now, his battle to defend his title is also expected.

Last year, Hideki Matsuyama's one-stroke victory at Augusta raised the country's love of golf to a new level. Thousands of enthusiasts flock to the driving range and course to buy Matsuyama's same golf equipment while imitating his signature upstart pause. The "Matsuyama fever" swept the entire country for a while.

As the long-awaited first men's Grand Slam champion for Japanese fans, Matsuyama was hailed as a hero after returning to his home country and received the Prime Minister's Award.

(Matsuyama has won two games this season)

This season, he has won two titles, the ZOZO Championship in his native Japan and the Sony Open in Hawaii. His recent physical condition, though, has been somewhat worrying as he pulled out two games — the Players' Championship in March and the Valerode State Open last week — due to neck and back injuries.

Matsuyama responded that he withdrew from the Valerodes State Open last week to stay fit and devote all his attention and energy to returning to the Masters. Facing the first Grand Slam of the year, the defending champions don't seem to be fully prepared. However, when he came here last year, there was no warning of winning the championship. It wasn't until the eve of the game that he had some "bright spots" on the practice field.

Mexican player Abraham Anser was in the same group as Matsuyama in the first two rounds of last year. Recalling the two days of the game, Matsuyama was enjoying the game and preparing for the weekend, even after shooting 69 and 71. "Looks like he's playing well. Even if he hits a ball with a bad landing point, he can find a way to catch the bird or make the most of the position. Whenever you see someone pushing well and playing badly when they need to push well, they know it means something special is going to happen," Anser said of his Presidents Cup International team mate.

Zander Sheophile, who was in the same group as Matsuyama in two rounds last weekend, was frustrated because he once again missed his Grand Slam title. (He finished T3 at last year's Masters) Sheofiel recalls Matsuyama firing at full swing on the day, scoring a -6 on the last 8 holes.

"To be honest, Saturday was a day that belonged to him (Matsuyama) ... After the race recovered from a rainy delay, his performance was truly incredible. He just did everything perfectly. It was a kind of 'everything was just right' moment, and when it happened at Augusta or any Grand Slam, it was a good sign. Four-time PGA Tour champion Sheophile said.

'He took control of the game on Saturday and kept it to the end on Sunday.

(Hideki Matsuyama has recently suffered from neck and back injuries))

Whether Or not Matsuyama is now in perfect health, it's safe to say he'll kick off as the defending Masters champion and do everything he can to fight injuries until he can't stand it anymore. Every athlete is willing to win glory for the country, and Hideki Matsuyama is no exception.

Winning the Masters has been his lifelong goal since his debut at Augusta in 2011.

In 2010, he won the landmark asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) in Tokyo, a joint venture between Augusta, the Royal Classical Golf Association and the Asia Pacific Golf Union to support the development of golf in the Far East. Matsuyama was quite lucky. Since the tournament is hosted by Japan, Japanese players have won four more places in addition to the original six places, and Matsuyama is one of them.

"It's a very fortunate thing to be a Masters champion. It's a good feeling to be able to compete in more competitions and be introduced as a Masters champion," Matsuyama said. "Being the first Japanese to win a Grand Slam, especially the Masters, makes me very happy. I know I'm a happier person than others. ”

Anser is genuinely happy for Matsuyama because he appreciates his ease in the face of pressure. "It's unbelievable... Wherever he goes, there will be a lot of people and the media following him. Maybe only Tiger has faced this kind of occasion more often than he has, but I can see that he is definitely under tremendous pressure. After I've been to Japan a few times, I realized how important golf is there, and Hideki is definitely a legend there. I can appreciate the importance of winning an event like the Masters and what it means for Japan. ”

(Slow Swing Appreciation - Hideki Matsuyama's Swing Secret)

Before the Valerodes State Open, Matsuyama told the media that he often set expectations for himself, which eventually became the driving force behind his huge success, helping him win eight PGA Tour titles. He also expressed nervousness about hosting a traditional championship dinner, where he would set up menus and speak in a room where pre-Masters champions gathered.

"Looking forward to defending the title is on the one hand, and on the other hand, I really want to be able to play well. There are some expectations for yourself, whether it's stressful or not," Matsuyama said, "and the same goes for the champions dinner." I don't speak English very well, so I have mixed feelings on occasions like this: I'm certainly looking forward to being with all these great former Masters champions, but I'm also very nervous because I'm going to be speaking in front of them. ”

As the 86th Edition of the Masters approaches, every Japanese golf fan will be restless to see if Matsuyama will fully recover and defend his title. But, from another perspective, Matsuyama really has nothing to do or prove, except to be called the 2021 Masters champion at kickoff introduction.

He has inspired tens of thousands of children in Japan and across Asia to move to higher stages. There is no doubt that even if he does not win the Green Jacket, he will continue to win more titles on the PGA Tour.

Regardless of this week's outcome, Hideki Matsuyama has left his name in the history of golf.