Hideki Matsuyama Subs In Former Winning Caddie At Rocket Classic

Hideki Matsuyama is without long-term caddie Shota Hayafuji at the 2025 Rocket Classic and has turned to an old face to fill in for the time being...

Hideki Matsuyama picking out a club with caddie Mei Inui standing on the tee at the 2025 Rocket Classic
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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Since gaining his card in 2014, Hideki Matsuyama has be a star name on the PGA Tour.

He has 11 wins to his name in America, including two Waste Management Phoenix Opens and a FedEx St. Jude Championship.

His most notable win, though, came at the Masters in 2021 where he edged out Will Zalatoris by one shot.

His caddie, Shota Hayafuji, was notably seen bowing to the pin on the final hole after his victory. The image went viral and he commended a lot of plaudits after such a beautiful mark of respect.

However, Hayafuji - who has been on the bag since 2019 - is not with Matsuyama for the Rocket Classic this week.

Due to visa issues, he was not able to be in Detroit, even though he was at the Travelers Championship last week.

The Japanese golfer has therefore called upon the help of a professional caddie called Mei Inui to be by his side. He has known her for a long time and she reportedly works in his office back in Japan.

Coincidentally, Matsuyama's wife's name is Mei. But, it has been confirmed that it is not his wife and is in fact a different person.

This is not the first time the pair have been on the course together either as she also caddied for him at the 2016 Hero World Challenge, where he won the tournament. That was his third success in a row at the time.

This is not a permanent switch and it is expected that Hayafuji will be back alongside Matsuyama once he has sorted his visa issues. The return date is so far unknown, though.

He also missed the Japanese's FedEx Cup playoffs last year due to the pair and coach - Mikihito Kuromiya - being robbed in a restaurant in London, where he had his passport stolen.

That time around, the 32-year-old had Taiga Tabuchi by his side. Tabuchi previously worked with PGA Tour and DP World Tour pro, Ryo Hisatsune.

Since being appointed in 2019, the pair have enjoyed an incredibly successful time together. This includes his 2021 Masters win and five of his PGA Tour successes.

Hideki Matsuyama and his caddie, Shota Hayafuji walk along the 12th at Augusta National

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Although winning at the start of the season at The Sentry, Matsuyama has endured a fairly quiet campaign so far.

Other than that victory, he has failed to enter the top-10 of any tournament he has played and has missed the cut on three occasions.

He has started well at the Rocket Classic this week, though, shooting a six-under-par first round - four shots off the lead - thanks to a couple of late chip-ins down the stretch.

Euan Tickner
Euan Tickner
News Writer

Euan has just finished a BA Sports Journalism degree at the University of Brighton and is currently working with the news team at Golf Monthly. He would love a career in Golf and is looking to expand his journalistic skills while learning from some of the best golf writers in the industry.

His time at university has granted him access to top sporting venues, such as reporting on an England women's football match held at the AMEX stadium and multiple reporting opportunities at racecourses such as Goodwood and Kempton Park.

A keen golfer throughout his childhood, Euan currently plays off a handicap of 13.6 and is a member of the Dyke Golf Club near Brighton, UK. His fondest golfing memory to date would be playing the stunning Faldo and O’Connor Jnr. Courses at Amendoeira Golf Resort.

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