Golf expert says Hideki Matsuyama's win at the Masters could be worth $1 billion during his career

Hideki Matsuyama
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  • Hideki Matsuyama is the first Japanese player to win the Masters.

  • According to ESPN's Andy North the win could be worth $1 billion in lifetime earnings for Matsuyama.

  • Matsuyama already has earned $2.1 million for winning the tournament, but that's only the beginning.

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Winning the Masters will change the life of any golfer.

The green jacket is the most coveted piece of outerwear in sports and grants those adorning it access to the tournament field at Augusta National for the rest of their career, as well as admission into the champions' locker room at the course. The $2.1 million top prize isn't bad either.

But for 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, all of the life-changing aspects of winning the green jacket will be exponentially amplified. Not only did Matsuyama reach the mountaintop of professional golf, but he did so carrying the hopes of a nation on his back, becoming the first Japanese player to win the green jacket and the first man from his country to win a major.

While the cash prize he'll take home from Augusta National is the same as any other player would have won, the lifetime's worth of earnings Matsuyama's win will bring are on a different level.

According to two-time major winner turned golf analyst Andy North, Matsuyama's win could be worth as much as $1 billiion in lifetime earnings.

Ahead of the final round on Sunday, North broke down the pressure that Matsuyama was facing, and what could come should he be able to triumph.

"There's more pressure on Hideki to win to win this major championship than any player that has ever had the chance to win a major. It would change golf in Japan, and Japan has been a golf-crazed nation for years. I was fortunate enough to play a lot of golf there in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, and they absolutely adore anybody who plays this game. I can't even imagine how much money this would mean to him, besides sure, being the king of Japan.

"This is not a crazy person talking, but I think a win here would be worth a billion dollars to him."

Being the face of a popular sport comes with a big payday, and with his win at Augusta National, Matsuyama cemented himself as the face of golf in Japan for years to come, even moreso than he already had with his previous career wins.

North wasn't the only one to bring up how big Matsuyama's win was for his home country. While he didn't put a dollar figure to the win, Tiger Woods said that Matsuyama's victory "will impact the entire golf world."

"Congratulations on such a huge accomplishment for you and your country," Woods wrote.

Just 29 years old, Matsuyama has a lifetime ahead of him to enjoy his green jacket, and could very likely have another major win in him at some point over the next few years.

The true value of Matsuyama's win at Augusta National this weekend cannot be solely counted in dollars, but when you do count the dollars, there sure are a lot of them.

Read the original article on Insider