Hideki Matsuyama. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Watch: Hideki Matsuyama has horrific luck at Masters

By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 6:09 PM ET

Hideki Matsuyama will have some ground to make up after the opening round of the Masters, and he can thank one of the flagsticks at Augusta National Golf Club for that.

Matsuyama was playing fairly well in the first round of the Masters on Thursday when he caught a horrendous break. After laying up to a nice spot on the par-5 13th hole, Matsuyama hit what looked like a perfect approach shot. It just happened to a bit too perfect.

Matsuyama's shot bounced off the flag stick and rolled into the water.

The worst... Matsuyama hits the stick at 13 and it goes back into the water
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) 2025-04-10T21:26:14.780Z

Matsuyama was one-under through 12 holes prior to the mishap. He wound up making a double-bogey on the 13th hole.

The Masters is arguably the most difficult and pressure-packed golf tournament of the year. Matsuyama, who won the green jacket in 2021, knows that as well as anyone. He will need to use his past experience to quickly move past the bad break he caught on Thursday.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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