Golf superstar Hideki Matsuyama reportedly had his passport stolen at a London airport just days after winning a medal at the Paris Olympics.
The Japanese PGA Tour ace made a stopover in the United Kingdom while flying from France to America for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee.
Matsuyama finished third in men’s stroke play at the Olympics, behind American Scottie Scheffler and Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood.
But his trip to the United States suffered a setback at an unspecified London airport.
Golf Digest Japan reports that Matsuyama’s passport was stolen, with caddy Shota Hayato and coach Mikihito Kuromiya also having their travel documents stolen.
This forced the trio to abandon their flight to Memphis and instead return home to Japan to collect their reissued passports.
Matsuyama has since flown to America for the final PGA Tour event.
However, his team has not joined him, meaning Matsuyama will use a substitute caddy while he is completely coachless.
And the 32-year-old, who won the 2021 Masters, now hopes to overcome the shock of the robbery with victory in Memphis.
He told Golf Digest Japan: “There is a chance they (my team) can do it, but we have to go in thinking it is close to zero.
“I’m going to play golf like I’m back to how I was before I had a coach.
“I feel like all the responsibility is mine.
“I’m looking forward to it for the first time in a long time.
“I want to pass on to (my new caddy) what I cultivated on the course.”
Matsuyama has already won one PGA Tour event this year, taking victory at the Genesis Invitational in February.
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