Getty Hideki Matsuyama pictured with caddie Mei Inui at the 2016 Hero World Challenge.
Much has been made about Hideki Matsuyama’s “secret” marriage but the golfer simply prefers to keep his family life private. During a 2017 press conference, Matsuyama revealed he and his wife tied the knot in January of the same year and welcomed their first child a few months later in July.
Matsuyama’s official PGA Tour profile lists his wife as Mei and daughter Kanna. The golfer explained that he was not purposefully trying to keep their relationship a secret but had previously not been asked about their relationship by the media.
“No one really asked me if I was married, so I didn’t have to answer that question,” Matsuyama noted in August 2017, per Golf.com. “But I felt that after the PGA would be a good time, because our baby is born and I thought that would be a good time to let everyone know.”
Matsuyama Does Not Believe His Marriage Impacted His Play on the Golf Course
Matsuyama shot down the notion that his marriage and fatherhood would have any impact on his PGA Tour play. The golfer admitted to being happy about his family but emphasized that he is able to remain focused on his play on the greens.
“Of course, happy about the family,” Matsuyama added after revealing his marriage in 2017, per Golf Digest. “But golf is golf. Once we get on the golf course, that’s what I’m thinking about.”
Some believe that becoming a father can impact a golfer’s play positively given the added motivation. Andrew Landry admitted he felt fatherhood helped his golf career.
“100%, I think that it was time for me to really grow up and be a dad and be someone that he can look up to,” Landry explained to PGATour.com. “Be like, ‘My dad won a PGA TOUR event’ or ‘My dad played the PGA TOUR for X-number of years.’ That was my goal as soon as we found out that we were having a baby, and especially a boy. All my ducks were in a row. It led into positive thinking, some emotions of having a child, some emotions of playing some really good golf, just being with my family.”
Matsuyama’s Caddie at the 2016 Hero World Challenge Was Named Mei Inui
Matsuyama’s caddie at the 2016 Hero World Challenge was Mei Inui, months before the golfer revealed the news about his marriage. Given Matsuyama’s run during the 2021 Masters, we may see the golfer provide more insight into his family, especially if he wins given the moment is typically shared with the athlete’ss spouse.
Inui was originally Hiroshi Iwata’s caddie but took the bag for Matsuyama when the golfer took off in 2016. Matsuyama credited Inui for keeping him calm on the course.
“When things get tough, I sometimes put my head down and become quiet,” Matsuyama told USA Today after the 2016 Hero World Challenge. “But Mei was always positive throughout, even the back nine, and was giving me good vibes, which really helped coming in.”
The golfer’s caddie at the 2021 Masters is Shota Hayafuji. Matsuyama resides in Sendai, Japan, per PGA Tour, and we will soon find out if the golfer will be bringing a green jacket back to his home country.
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