From Hideki Matsuyama's major to 'Jumbo' Ozaki's long run, key Masters moments for Japanese golfers

Hideki Matsuyama was the sole Japanese golfer in the 2021 Masters Tournament, and his one-shot victory was his country's first men's major title.

“It's thrilling to think that there are a lot of youngsters in Japan watching today,” Matsuyama said after his victory. “Hopefully in five, 10 years, when they get a little older, hopefully some of them will be competing on the world stage. But I still have a lot of years left, so they are going to have to compete against me still. But I'm happy for them because hopefully they will be able to follow in my footsteps.”

Matsuyama followed in the footsteps of 26 Japanese golfers who played in the Masters before him. Torchy Toda and Chick Chin played in the third Masters, and their invitation brought the Japanese ambassador to the U.S., Hiroshi Saito, to Augusta to watch them play.

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Here are some of the other key moments for Japanese golfers in Masters history:

Hideki Matsuyama wins 2021 Masters

Matsuyama opened with rounds of 69 and 71 before charging into the lead with a 30 on the second nine in the third round. He took a four-shot lead into the final round.

After a 78-minute weather delay Saturday afternoon that softened the course, Matsuyama made his move. When play resumed, he hit from the trees on No. 11 but still made birdie. He then birdied No. 12, made eagle on No. 15, birdied Nos. 16 and 17 and saved par from behind the green on No. 18 to complete a 65.

Playing in his 10th Masters, Matsuyama shot 73 in the final round and held off Augusta National rookie Will Zalatoris by one stroke. His victory was the second in a week for Japan, as 17-year-old Tsubasa Kajitani won the Augusta National Women's Amateur in a playoff the Saturday before.

Masashi 'Jumbo' Ozaki a regular at Augusta for 30 years

In his second Masters start, Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki sliced his opening drive into a trash can. A free drop and a one-putt saved par. Ozaki then birdied No. 2 on his way to a 69 that had him in contention all week in the 1973 tournament.

When asked whether he was used to playing in the heavy wind in the opening round, Ozaki said through an interpreter, "No. In Japan there is not a whole lot of wind, but there is lots of rain."

After Ozaki shot 74 in the second round to drop a stroke to the leaders, rain would wash out the third round forcing a two-tee start on Sunday morning and a Monday finish. Ozaki shot a paid of 73s over the weekend and tied for 8th at 289, his best Masters finish.

Ozaki and his Augusta National caddie, James Tee, overcame their language barrier.

"We use sign language," Tea said, explaining that his main job was to help Ozaki read the greens, gesturing with his left or right hand the direction of the break and holding up the number of fingers for each inch of break..

It would take Ozaki 22 years to put together four better rounds, shooting 287 in 1995. Overall, he played in 19 Masters over 28 years, ending his run in 2000. He played in two Masters with his younger brother, Naomichi "Joe" Ozaki, in 1990 and 1993.

13 on 13: Tsuneyuki Nakajima sets unwanted record

In 1978 at his first Masters, Tsuneyuki "Tommy" Nakajima set the record on the par-5 13th hole at Augusta that remains today for worst score: a 13. Nakajima was quoted after his round saying he was trying to make up for a bogey on No. 12 in the second round.

"I promised myself to make an eagle but I tried too hard and messed up," he said.

According to the reports in the Augusta Chronicle:

He drove his first shot into a ditch. He dropped out, hit a 5-iron shot up the fairway, then hit his fourth shot into the creek. He tried to play from the creek, but his ball went straight up in the air, then bounced off his shoe for a two-stroke penalty. He went to play from the hazard again, but in handing his sand wedge to his caddie for cleaning, it touched the water. That carried a second two-stroke penalty for grounding a club in a hazard. His wedge shot went over the green. He chipped onto the green and two-putted for a 13.

Although Nakajima missed the cut, he played in 10 more Masters, finishing in the top 10 twice – eighth in 1986 and 10th in 1991. And he took home a pair of crystal goblets in 1986 for making eagle at No. 13 in the second round.

Japanese ambassador comes to Augusta

Toichiro "Torchy" Toda and Seisui "Chick" Chin were the first Japanese golfers to play in the Masters. Each received a special foreign invitation from Augusta National Chairman Clifford Roberts before the 1936 event.

Among the headlines on its April 1, 1936, front page about Bruno Hauptmann's execution delay and the latest from the day's practice rounds, The Augusta Chronicle announced the Japanese ambassador would fly from Washington, D.C., to Augusta to watch Toda and Chin.

The Chronicle carried news of Saito being feted around Augusta, including another front page story about how Saito and Toda were left waiting at the tee by 11-time major winner Walter Hagen. The Chronicle ran four paragraphs on its front page under the headline, "Ambassador kept waiting by the Haig."

The ambassador arrived at Augusta National, greeted his countrymen and was escorted to the first tee box minutes before Hagen and Toda's scheduled 12:30 p.m. tee time. The starter called out Hagen's name half a dozen times before dispatching a messenger to bring him to No. 1.

Once Hagen arrived, the pair teed off four minutes late and the ambassador spent the day moving between Toda and Chin's pairings. Each shot 74, and apart from leader Harry "Lighthorse" Cooper, had the lowest scores for all foreign players with 150 and 155, respectively.

Chin shot 71-79 during Monday's third and fourth rounds to finish tied for 20th. Toda shot 75-75 to finish tied for 29th. It was their only Masters appearance.

Japanese golfers in the Masters: By the numbers

31 Number of golfers who have teed it up at Augusta National

1 Highest finish. Hideki Matsuyama (2021) wins. Both Toshi Izawa (2001) and Shingo Katayama (2009) finished fourth.

1936 Masters debut for Toichiro "Torchy" Toda and Seisui "Chick" Chin

19 Most starts, by Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki

65 Low round, by Hideki Matsuyama in 2021

13 Masters record for highest score on No. 13, by Tsuneyuki 'Tommy' Nakajima

Top finishes at the Masters by golfers from Japan

Hideki Matsuyama, 1

Toshi Izawa, 4

Shingo Katayama, 4

Masashi Ozaki, 8

Tsuneyuki Nakajima, 8

Top money earned

1. Hideki Matsuyama, $3,462,534

2. Shingo Katayama, $550,686

3. Toshi Izawa, $261,400

4. Shigeki Maruyama, $165,520

5. Ryo Ishikawa, $155,200

Best rounds

65, Hideki Matsuyama, 2021, Round 3

66, Toshi Izawa, 2001, Round 2

66, Hideki Matsuyama, 2015, Round 4

67, Jumbo Ozaki, 1991, Round 1

67, Shingo Katayama, 2009, Round 1

67, Tsuneyuki Nakajima, 1991, Round 3

67, Toshi Izawa, 2001, Round 4

67, Hideki Matsuyama, 2017, Round 4

67, Shigeki Maruyama, 2002, Round 4

68, Hideki Matsuyama, 2020, Round 1

68, Hideki Matsuyama, 2020, Round 2

68, Takaaki Kono, 1970, Round 2

68, Hideki Matsuyama, 2011, Round 3

68, Hideki Matsuyama, 2019, Round 3

68, Takaaki Kono, 1969, Round 3

68, Shingo Katayama, 2009, Round 4

68, Ryo Ishikawa, 2013, Round 4

68, Jumbo Ozaki, 1975, Round 4

69, Hideki Matsuyama, 2021, Round 1

69, Jumbo Ozaki, 1973, Round 1

69, Isao Aoki, 1984, Round 1

69, Jumbo Ozaki, 1991, Round 3

69, Tsuneyuki Nakajima, 1991, Round 4

69, Hideki Matsuyama, 2018, Round 4

69, Ryuji Imada, 2009, Round 4

Every Japanese player in Masters history

Isao Aoki, 1974-1988

Seisui Chin, 1936

Hiroyuki Fujita, 2011-2013

Yutaka Hagawa, 1982-1983

Satoshi Higashi, 1996

Yuta Ikeda, 2010-2018

Ryuji Imada, 2009

Shugo Imahira, 2019-2020

Tomoo Ishii, 1964-1966

Ryo Ishikawa, 2009-2013

Toshi Izawa, 2001-2004

Takumi Kanaya, 2019-2022

Yoshinori Kaneko, 1997-1997

Shingo Katayama, 2001-2010

Takaaki Kono, 1969-1973

Shigeki Maruyama, 1998-2006

Hideki Matsuyama, 2011-2021

Hajime Meshiai, 1994

Yusaku Miyazato, 2018

Takashi Murakami, 1976-1977

Tsuneyuki Nakajima, 1978-1995

Tohru Nakamura, 1980

Pete Nakamura, 1958

Koichi Ono, 1958-1963

Masashi Ozaki, 1972-2000

Naomichi Ozaki, 1990-2000

Hideyo Sugimoto, 1967-1968

Norio Suzuki, 1981

Toru Taniguchi, 2002-2008

Hideto Tanihara, 2007-2017

Toichiro Toda, 1936

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Japanese players at the Masters: Key moments in history at Augusta