7th Apr 2014 | The Masters
Masters Tips: Hideki Matsuyama
Finished no worse than T16 in the last three majors and lighting up the PGA Tour.
If I said you could back a player at 80/1 (Paddy Power) who has finished T19-T6-T10 in the last three majors, you’d say I was mad – but you can!
Hideki Matsuyama has been forgotten by the layers but he’s a serious talent.
After dominating the Japanese Tour with four victories in 2013 he moved Stateside to try cutting it amongst the world’s elite and he didn’t disappoint. Starting at the US Open last year, he has 12 top-25 finishes from 15 starts on the PGA Tour.
That is some run of form, with the only concern being his two withdrawals through injury.
The 21-year-old has suffered from hand and wrist ailments but the fact he completed four rounds at Doral is encouraging.
Crucially for such a young player, Matsuyama has experience of playing Augusta. He was the low amateur in 2011 (T27) and finished T54 in 2012.
This should give him an advantage over the other upstarts in the field; Jordan Spieth is making his Masters debut but at half the price.
Matsuyama is fearless in his approach to the game and just as Adam Scott broke the Australian hoodoo at the Masters last year, we could be about to witness our first male Japanese major winner.
The Masters 6 Places - Paddy Power
Paddy Power are paying 6 places at The Masters. Each way 1/4 odds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 10:06 7th Apr, 2014 but subject to change
