Hideki Matsuyama's caddie

Hideki Matsuyama is the first-ever Japanese golfer to win a men's major golf championship, the 2021 Masters Tournament. He was born on February 25, 1992, in Matsuyama, Japan, and is the most successful Japanese golfer on the PGA Tour, with 11 wins. He completed his education at Tohoku Fukushi University, where he played collegiate golf. As an amateur, he won several tournaments, including the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2010 and 2011, the Japan Collegiate Championship in 2011 and 2012, and the World University Games in 2011. He also reached world No. 1 amateur golfer in 2012 and turned professional in 2013.

Matsuyama's 20 professional victories as of April 2025 include the World Golf Championships (WGC) in 2016 and 2017, as well as the 2021 Masters Tournament. He has 11 wins on the PGA Tour alone, including the 2024 Genesis Invitational and the 2025 Sentry. He also participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing Japan. He won a bronze medal at the latter. His career-high world ranking is world No. 2, achieved after a runner-up finish at the 2017 U.S. Open. He is ranked world No. 6 as of April 2025, according to the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

Hideki Matsuyama's caddie

Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie is Shota Hayafuji as of April 2025.

Shota Hayafuji has been Matsuyama's looper since 2019, making his debut as his looper at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Hayafuji played golf on the China Tour before becoming a caddie. Hideki's first major victory came with the support of Shota, who showed his respect for Hideki by removing his hat and bowing his head after winning the 2021 Masters Tournament. This moment went viral on social media and won many fans’ hearts. Hayafuji said (via Golf.com):

“I bowed to the course mainly because I was thankful. I wasn’t thinking about doing it, and it just happened, like an instinct.”

At the 2011 Masters, where Hideki tied for 27th place and was the low amateur, he had Taisho Okabe as his looper when he first started playing golf as an amateur and then as a professional. It's unclear when that collaboration ended, but Hideki showed up for the 2012 Masters, accompanied by Katsuya Kobayashi as his caddie. Hideki later collaborated with caddie Daisuke Shindo for a brief period. Over several years, they enjoyed some success together, which included the first five of his PGA Tour titles (via Golf Monthly).

Also Read: Hideki Matsuyama's WITB