If putter stays hot, Matsuyama will gain edge in chase for FedExCup glory

Golf

If putter stays hot, Matsuyama will gain edge in chase for FedExCup glory

Published: 22 Aug. 2024, 11:06

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan lines up a putt on the seventh green during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on Aug. 17 in Memphis, Tennessee. [GETTY IMAGES]

American Brad Faxon, an eight-time PGA Tour winner and now a putting guru, tells a funny tale which reinforces the notion that Hideki Matsuyama will leave no stones unturned in his pursuit for perfection, and perhaps, earning the chance as well at rewriting more golf history by the time the 2024 FedExCup Playoffs conclude.

The Japanese star was on the practice green at TPC Southwinds in Memphis before the final round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of three Playoffs event, where he held an overnight five-shot lead. Being a putter nerd, Faxon, who also works as a TV analyst, approached Matsuyama about his new Scotty Cameron putter which was he put in his bag for the first time.

“He has a five-shot lead, leading the week in putting stats which was incredible, and I said may I look at your putter as I’ve never seen it,” Faxon told SiriusXM PGA Tour radio.

“I'm a Scotty Cameron geek too and he takes it out of the head cover, hands it to me and then honest to God, Hideki goes ‘can I have a putting lesson’ and he says it to me in English! I started laughing and said ‘Hideki you're leading by five, you're putting first on Tour this week and want a putting lesson? I thought it was funny and then Bob Turner (Matsuyama’s agent and interpreter) came up and goes ‘he's serious, he wants to know what you like about his putting.’”

Over the years, the flat stick has been Matsuyama’s pain and joy over the years. He is renowned for his superb ball-striking abilities which is reflected by his Strokes Gained: Tee to Green third ranking this season. Entering Memphis last week — which by the way Matsuyama won by two — he was ranked a lowly 133rd in Strokes Gained: Putting.

His past five seasons have seen him ranked 119th, 114th, 175th, 170th and 97th in putting, which makes one wonder how many more PGA Tour wins he could have won if he putted better and more consistently. At TPC Memphis, his new putter got real hot as he gained an astonishing 12.78 strokes over the field and made a total of 453 feet of putts, the second most in his career which now includes 10 PGA Tour titles.

However, as he prepares for this week’s BMW Championship, there is no guarantee it will remain his preferred weapon of choice. Such is Matsuyama’s thirst for perfection that he is prepared to keep tinkering with his equipment. As to seeking advice from Faxon just before teeing off in the final round of a $20 million event, it proves that he is like a sponge, ever ready to absorb all forms of golf knowledge to simply get better.

“Usually I travel with five or six putters,” said Matsuyama, who ranked third in putting when he won the Genesis Invitational and became the winningest Asian golfer with nine victories back in February. “The putter that I used (in Memphis), I received it from Scotty last year, but I had never used it before. But for some reason when I was at home in Orlando coming to this tournament, I just started feeling that this putter may work on these greens.”

Faxon, whose star pupil is three-time FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy, admitted to being nervous after Matsuyama’s impromptu request. “I'm like how could I dare say anything,” laughed Faxon. “Before he starts his stroke, (his putter) is really never stagnant...it's got that little bouncy, it's almost like the putter head is nervous but I like that fidgetiness. I definitely didn't want to say anything technical that might confuse him and I told him what I like is the squareness of his setup. I think the bouncy putter...so many great putters have done that, and I don't like being static over the ball.”

Last season, Matsuyama surprised many with a putting drill where he put a coin on the toe of his putter, which forces him to slow down the movement of the flat stick to avoid the coin from falling off. He is also known to stash 20-over clubs in his golf bag during practice rounds to test certain clubs before competition.

Tapping up Faxon for advice before his final round must rank as one of more interesting anecdotes to date about Matsuyama, who is obviously keen to gain an edge as he chases FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler for the Tour's ultimate prize. The top-30 after BMW qualify for the Tour Championship, with Matsuyama projected to start the week three strokes back of Scheffler in the staggered-scoring finale tournament.

No Asian golfer has won the FedExCup since its inception in 2007, with Im Sung-jae of Korea coming the closest in 2022 after finishing tied second behind McIlroy. “There are many players from different countries, and to not yet have a player from Asia win (the FedExCup) is something that motivates me,” Matsuyama said previously. “I’d be very happy if more people believed that a player from Asia could win it.”

He might do so, especially if his putter remains hot over the next two weeks.

BY CHUAH CHOO CHIANG [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]