Professional golfers are always looking for ways to save shots and, quite often, they will analyse their fellow peers to see how they can gain an advantage in tournament play.
In the case of Hideki Matsuyama, the former Major winner reportedly noticed that more players on the circuit are now experimenting with centre-shafted putters and, after using one for himself at The Sentry, the Japanese star has set a new PGA Tour record.
Playing in his first PGA Tour event of 2025, Matsuyama fired rounds of 65, 65, 62 and 65 to finish 35-under-par and win the title, setting the new PGA Tour scoring record in the process.
Obviously, the score was down to his overall game but, one other reason is down to his move to game a prototype Scotty Cameron 009M putter that featured a centre shaft.
According to reports, Matsuyama asked Scotty Cameron to build him one with these specs, claiming "I saw somebody else using it and I thought 'this looks good,' so I had them make one and I'm using it this week."
Matsuyama averaged just 26.75 putts per round in Hawaii
Certainly, the move worked for Matsuyama, as he gained +5.419 in the Strokes Gained: Putting department, ranking him third for the week. On top of that, the 32-year-old ranked second in terms of both 'feet of putts made' (98') and 'putts per GIR' (1.56).
Speaking after his win, the now 11-time PGA Tour winner remained tight-lipped about the putter though, simply stating: "I received the putter after Christmas, and I used the putter for the first time here. I'm not sure (why the putter worked so well), but it went in, so..."
Although unclear as to whether the Scotty Cameron 009M prototype will remain in the bag for Matsuyama, we do know that Matsuyama does possess a large number of Scotty's himself, with Cameron revealing that Matsuyama has the largest collection of his putters.
Just some of the Scotty Cameron putters Matsuyama has used throughout the years
"Early on he was a Cameron fan," stated Cameron to Golf Monthly back in 2021. "He was at school then got into college and our fitting studio in Hamamatsu, Japan is where he would hang out. Hideki has been coming there since he was 16 and he maybe gets the most putters made for him.
"He loves to be surprised with a new putter, he says it energises him and gets him re-focused and excited on something new. He's always looking for the next greatest Scotty, so I'm gonna say probably Hideki has one of the greatest collections."
In Matsuyama's last three victories on the PGA Tour he has gamed different Scotty Cameron models. Along with the 009M prototype in Hawaii, he primarily uses a Newport 2 style model, which secured him his Masters title in 2021.
Matsuyama also put a Scotty Cameron Craftsman tour prototype in the bag for his FedEx St. Jude Invitational last year, as well as a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Timeless GSS tour prototype putter for his Genesis Invitational win in February 2024.
