Hideki Matsuyama's incredible form has been halted with the former Masters champion forced to withdraw from the BMW Championship, throwing his Tour Championship hopes into doubt. The Japanese superstar, who won the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week, is one of the leading contenders to win the £19 million Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta next week but will play no further part in the BMW Championship.
The injury continues a chaotic period for Matsuyama, who won in Tennessee despite not having his coach or caddie with him. The trio were the victims of a robbery in London en route to the United States after winning Olympic bronze in Paris.
"It was an unfortunate situation," Matsuyama explained after arriving at TPC Southwind last week. "Luckily I only lost my wallet, but Shota [Hayafuji], my caddie, and the coach [Mikihito Kuromiya], lost their passports, and we're trying hard now to get their visas back in line, and hopefully we can join us as a team as soon as possible.
"We were just on our way back from Paris. We were just going to spend one night in London, and it happened in downtown London. We didn't even know it happened. We were just having a friendly dinner, and Shota was the first one [asking] 'Hey, where is my bag?'
"Of course it was frustrating, but we really didn't know it happened. It was just kind of all of a sudden."
Hayafuji's paperwork was completed in time for him to be in Denver for this week's tournament, while Kuromiya was hoping to have a new visa to be back stateside in time for the Tour Championship.
But those efforts – overcoming an unsettling ordeal and winning with an unfamiliar caddie – may prove to be futile when it comes to winning the FedEx Cup with Matsuyama's involvement at East Lake in significant doubt.
Matsuyama's Back Injury: A Recurring Issue
Matsuyama has a history of back injuries, which have plagued him throughout his career. This withdrawal from the BMW Championship is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Japanese star. In 2023, he also withdrew from the BMW Championship after an injury flared up while warming up for the second round.
The Impact on Matsuyama's FedEx Cup Hopes
Matsuyama's withdrawal from the BMW Championship has a significant impact on his FedEx Cup hopes. He entered the tournament in third place in the standings, but his chances of winning the FedEx Cup are now in jeopardy.
While Matsuyama's placement in the standings will undoubtedly take a hit after this weekend, he earned enough points previously that he will still be among the top-30 point scorers in the FedEx Cup standings, making him eligible for next year's final tournament, the Tour Championship.
However, his health will dictate whether or not he is available to play at East Lake Golf Club.
The Road to East Lake
Matsuyama's withdrawal from the BMW Championship has shaken up the FedEx Cup standings. The top 30 players in the standings will qualify for the Tour Championship, which will be held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta next week.
Matsuyama's current position in the standings is safe for now, but he will have to recover quickly if he wants to compete in the Tour Championship. The 32-year-old will have to prove his fitness in the coming days if he wants to have any chance of winning golf's richest prize.
Looking Ahead: Will Matsuyama Be Ready for the Tour Championship?
Matsuyama's withdrawal from the BMW Championship is a blow to his FedEx Cup hopes, but it's not the end of his season. He will have to focus on his recovery and hope to be ready for the Tour Championship.
With his current position in the FedEx Cup standings still safe, he has a chance to recover and still make a run at the title. But his health will be the key to his success at the Tour Championship. Matsuyama has a history of back injuries, so it's impossible to say for sure whether he will be able to recover in time. However, if he can get healthy, he will be a dangerous contender at East Lake.
