Hideki Matsuyama committed to PGA Tour: 'I want to continue doing my best here'

Former Masters champion, who defends Zozo Championship title this week, had been linked with a move to the LIV Golf Series

Hideki Matsuyama competed for the International team at the President's Cup last month, AFP

Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama has committed his future to the PGA Tour as he prepares to defend his Zozo Championship title in his native Japan.

Matsuyama, who became Japan's first male major winner at the Masters last year, will face a field including Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, world No 9 Collin Morikawa, and rising South Korean Kim Joo-hyung as the US PGA Tour returns to Narashino Country Club.

Several top stars including two-time major winner Dustin Johnson and British Open champion Cameron Smith have defected from the PGA Tour to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, which offers huge prize purses.

The PGA Tour has banned LIV golfers from competing in their events and world No 19 Matsuyama said he had no intention of joining LIV having previously been linked with a move to the series.

"I'm a member of the PGA Tour – the players who left did so because they thought it was the right thing to do, so I can't say anything about them," said Matsuyama, who won last year's Zozo Championship title with a stunning eagle on the final hole.

"I am playing on the PGA Tour and I want to continue doing my best here."

The PGA Tour arrived in Japan days after LIV Golf held its first $25 million event in Asia in Bangkok.

The breakaway circuit is smarting from an announcement that players competing in Bangkok and its season-ending event in Jeddah would not receive world ranking points, despite a co-sanctioning agreement with the Mena Tour.

The OWGR (Official World Golf Rankings), which awards points, said it had been given insufficient notice and needed to conduct a review of LIV Golf's events. American Bryson DeChambeau, a LIV player, said the failure to award ranking points was "delaying the inevitable".

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan celebrates during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. AFP

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama celebrates on the 18th green after winning The Masters. Reuters

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama celebrates with the green jacket after winning The Masters. Reuters

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is awarded the Green Jacket by 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson of the United States during the Green Jacket Ceremony after he won the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. AFP

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama is presented with the green jacket by Dustin Johnson. Reuters

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan poses with the Masters Trophy. AFP

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan hugs his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, on the 18th green. AFP

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan celebrates on the 18th green after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. AFP

The Masters Trophy. AFP

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan poses with the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship trophy during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. AFP

Matsuyama, who last month competed for the International team in the President's Cup, offered his sympathies to LIV players but said resolving the matter was unlikely to be easy.

"I think it's fine to award them, but I think it's difficult considering how it would be viewed by the other tours," Matsuyama said.

Norway's world No 1 11 Viktor Hovland said LIV players should not "just get points overnight".

"If you want to get world ranking points, you have to follow the process," he told reporters at Narashino Country Club. "At the same time, they have some really good players over there and if some of those players drop outside the top 100 players in the world, that's not good for the world rankings either."

Tiger Woods won the inaugural Zozo Championship title. AP

The $11m Zozo Championship was established in 2019 as the first US PGA Tour tournament in Japan. Thousands of Japanese fans turned up to watch Tiger Woods win the inaugural title for his 82nd US PGA Tour victory, equalling Sam Snead's 54-year-old record.

The tournament was held in California in 2020 because of the pandemic but returned to Japan last year in front of limited spectators. There are no attendance restrictions this year and Matsuyama said he was looking forward to the home support.

"It's great to be back as the defending champion," he said. "I've really been impressed the last couple of days. They were practice days but still lots of people came out and cheered us on, and I know there are going to be even more come Thursday and over the weekend. Hopefully I can play my best and give everyone something to root for."