Hideki Matsuyama reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, US, on Aug 25, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]
International Team star Hideki Matsuyama is gunning for revenge against the United States' playing captain Tiger Woods at next month's Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in Australia.
Ahead of his fourth appearance in the biennial team competition (Dec 9-15), the 27-year-old Matsuyama finished runner-up to Woods on home turf at October's inaugural ZoZo Championship as the American legend secured a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour victory.
The usually stoic Japanese ace was disappointed he could not to deliver a home victory, saying: "I must exact revenge here next year. He (Woods) is coming back and I will be here."
However, instead of having to wait another 11 months, Matsuyama will have a crack at making immediate amends at Royal Melbourne Golf Club after Woods named himself as one of his four captain's picks for the prestigious match-play tournament.
Woods will become only the second playing captain in Presidents Cup history, emulating Hale Irwin who was on double duty in the inaugural edition in 1994.
A five-time PGA Tour winner, Matsuyama has featured in the last three Presidents tournaments but has yet to taste victory. He holds a 4-6-3 career record, which he hopes to drastically improve under captain Ernie Els' leadership.
"I would really love to contribute to the team. I'm the only Japanese player on the International Team and I will try my best to represent the country of Japan," Matsuyama said. "The US Team is very strong and I think teamwork will be extremely important. For us to do well, I will aim to do my best."
Els, who has followed Matsuyama's progress closely since he burst onto the scene with a maiden PGA Tour victory at the 2014 Memorial Tournament, is counting on the 27-year-old to deliver the goods.
"He's a great, talented player," Els said. "This will be his fourth Presidents Cup and he's not been on a winning team. I can see him being very keen to win. He's had a few close run-ins with the US Team, so he'll be ready to fight."
The South African great, who is leading the International Team for the first time, is undecided on who can partner Matsuyama in the four-balls and foursomes over the first three days of competition.
"He might be a difficult one to get a partner for but I'll make that happen," Els said. "His character is that he's a winner. He takes it very seriously and he's his own man. I respect that."
