Masters Win ‘worth a billion dollars’ to Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama claimed a historic win at the Masters that one golf great predicts will make him the King of Japan and a billionaire. 

The 29-year-old became the first Japanese man to win a golf major by finished 10-under to win the Masters by one shot from American debutant Will Zalatoris.

Masters win ‘worth a billion dollars’

Matsuyama’s victory will see him rival Naomi Osaka as the most famous athlete in Japan and could make him a billionaire, according to two-time US Open winner Andy North.

“There is more pressure on Hideki to win this major championship than any player who has ever had a chance to win a major,” North said on ESPN before the final round.

“It would change golf in Japan — and Japan has been a golf-crazed nation for years … they adore anyone who plays this game.

“I can’t even imagine how much money this would mean to him, besides being the King of Japan. This is not a crazy person talking, a win here would be worth a billion dollars.”

Olympic Honour on the Cards

Even before the winning putt dropped, the notion was already being raised, by three-times Masters champion Nick Faldo, that Matsuyama could be chosen to light the cauldron at the Olympics opening ceremony in the Japan National Stadium on July 23.

Matsuyama is finalizing his plans but is likely to be in the country at that time as a member of Japan’s golf team, six days before the Olympic men’s competition starts on July 29.

“If the schedule works out and I am in Japan when that happens and they ask me, what an honor that would be,” Matsuyama said via his interpreter, before adding with typical Japanese humility his thoughts about the Olympic golf.

“If I am on the team, and maybe it looks like I will be, I’ll do my best to represent my country, and hopefully I’ll play well,” he said.

Matsuyama was ranked 37th on the list of golf’s all-time money leaders with $41 million entering the tournament but took home $2.8 million (AUD) for the win.Tiger Woods is first with $159 million.

Meanwhile Hideki also jumped up 11 places is now ranked 14th on the World Golf Rankings too.