Maruyama’s past heroics can fire up International spirit in Presidents Cup

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Maruyama’s past heroics can fire up International spirit in Presidents Cup

Published: 24 Sep. 2024, 15:41 Updated: 24 Sep. 2024, 18:04

Shigeki Maruyama, right, talks to Craig Parry during the 1998 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in December, 1998. [GETTY IMAGES]

Twenty six years have passed since Shigeki Maruyama produced a performance for the ages by going a perfect 5-0-0 in his Presidents Cup debut at Royal Melbourne in Australia which sparked what has since become the lone International Team victory to date against the United States Team in the biennial competition.

Now 54 years of age, the three-time PGA Tour winner emerged as an unlikely star in 1998 following a famous 20.5–11.5 drubbing over the Americans, who had a prime Tiger Woods in their formidable 12-man squad.

Maruyama recounts his heroics with great fondness, as it included a famous Foursomes victory with Craig Parry over Woods and Fred Couples. With the Presidents Cup being played at Royal Montreal in Canada starting from Thursday, all eyes will be on the current Asian crop of stars if one of them, including Maruyama’s compatriot Hideki Matsuyama, can emulate a similar feat to power a much-desired International Team victory.

“As I was a rookie and every American player was a superstar, I was not afraid of the matches,” recalled Maruyama. “I made up my mind, thinking it wouldn’t matter if I lost. So I was not afraid. The only thing in my heart was to defeat the American team,” recalled the Japanese veteran, who subsequently earned the nickname, the ‘Smiling Assassin’ after Royal Melbourne.

He recalls International Team captain, the late Peter Thomson, had kept the players relaxed all week in the team room which he thought was a vital ingredient for the win. With Maruyama serving as one of five captain’s assistants to Mike Weir this week, one of his tasks will surely be to keep Matsuyama loose and yet fully focused at the challenge ahead.

Hideki Matsuyama of Team Japan smiles with team coach Shigeki Maruyama after winning the bronze medal in the final round of the Olympic men's golf competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Aug. 4. [GETTY IMAGES]

“He (Thomson) wanted to make the team atmosphere better. That’s why I acted very brightly, and I wasn’t so serious and wanted to cheer everyone up. I think I was influenced by Peter. So I would also smile a lot and yell ‘wow!’ to inspire the team,” said Maruyama, who is only one of six players to own a 5-0-0 record in the Presidents Cup.

“After the event was over, I felt like ‘Ah, how wonderful’. I worked hard and at the end of the week, everyone said to me, ‘his is five wins!’ and I wondered, was I so good? I didn’t feel I did very well until I was congratulated by everyone. I thought it would be nice to show off, and I remember putting the Cup on my head and shouted happily.”

The responsibility to carry Japan’s flag and provide muscle to the International Team’s challenge at Royal Montreal will fall on Hideki Matsuyama, who won twice on the PGA Tour in 2024 and qualified for a sixth International Team appearance as the No. 1 ranked player. The 31-year-old also became the first Japanese male golfer to win an Olympic Games medal with a bronze showing this past summer, where Maruyama was the team leader in Paris. The other Asians in this International Team include Korean quartet Tom Kim, Im Sung-jae, An Byeong-hun and Kim Si-woo.

Tom Kim, left, and Kim Si-woo celebrate on day three of the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sept. 24, 2022. [GETTY IMAGES]

Maruyama said: “Mike felt that Hideki was slightly different from the usual Hideki he was familiar with (during the Paris Olympics). During practice, we tried to keep things light and enjoyable without getting in Hideki’s way. We were giggling, and having a good time. Seeing Hideki laughing like that was unusual for Mike, so he mentioned that my presence was probably significant. I want to support Mike and the International Team in any way that I can.”

With a career 7-10-5 (Win-Loss-Tie) record, Matsuyama will be fired up for an International Team victory. He has been particularly disappointed with his Singles record in the last two editions where he gave up leads over Tony Finau and Sam Burns in 2019 and 2022 respectively to settle for ties.

“Looking back, I wish my putting went in a little more. My putting was horrific and I wasn’t able to add points. I was really hoping to get a full point. I feel I struggled to contribute to my team,” Matsuyama said two years ago, where he led 2-up over Burns at the turn

“In 2019, I had the lead (against Finau) going into those last few holes and let him back in which was really disappointing. We came so close to getting a win. It still frustrates me to think back at how close we came to getting it done.”

The spotlight will also be one of golf’s brightest stars, Tom Kim who enjoyed a spectacular debut at Quail Hollow two years ago. The 22-year-old Korean, who is already a three-time PGA Tour winner, emerged as the team’s unlikely talisman with some gutsy play and youthful exuberance where 2022 captain Trevor Immelman, who will serve as one of Weir’s assistants this week, hailed him as golf’s next global superstar.

Two particular golf shots that won Immelman over came during Saturday afternoon’s Fourball session came when Tom and Kim Si-woo teamed up to beat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in the last match on the course. With 233 yards to the pin on the 18th hole, Tom rifled a glorious 2-iron approach to set up his team’s winning birdie, which he duly buried and exploded in a massive celebration.

“He's been such a tremendous gift to our sport,” said Immelman. “He's about 240 yards out. He's probably 60 yards behind his opponents. I look back and I see the who's who of American golf in golf carts behind him. I see Thomas, I see Spieth, I see Finau, I see Homa, I see Morikawa, all of them sitting on carts 15 yards from him. And this kid pures a 2-iron to 10 feet and makes the putt. To me, that's impressive stuff, shows some guts.”

Korea’s An, who made his debut in 2019 with two points, will be back for his second appearance, Im will make his third start while Kim Si-woo, one of six captain’s picks, returns for his third appearance having been the team’s leading scorer in 2022 with three points as a united International Team seeks only its second victory over the U.S. Team.

Fans can watch the Presidents Cup on JTBC Golf and Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily.

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