Japan hailed Hideki Matsuyama's historic victory at the Augusta Masters of golf on Monday, television channels immediately seized the success and the Prime Minister seeing it as a "great success" in the midst of a pandemic.
"Matsuyama opens the doors of history," trumpeted the Asahi newspaper, while some television channels broadcast live images from the United States.
On the private channel TBS, commentators could not hide their emotion: “Congratulations!
Thank you !
A presenter said, as two golf specialists beside him struggled to hold back their tears.
On Twitter, fans congratulated Japan's new sports hero.
“I can't see through my tears,” wrote a golfer admirer.
Even Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga spoke to the press, saying Matsuyama's performance had been "really wonderful".
“I think it has encouraged and excited people across Japan as the impact of the coronavirus continues,” he said.
"It's a great success."
"You make Japan proud", greets Tiger Woods
"It would be an honor" to light the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo Games this summer, if his country which organizes the event asks him to do so, said Hideki Matsuyama.
“It would be a great honor.
But I'm not sure about my schedule.
If the hours work out and I'm in Japan (at the time of the opening ceremony) and they ask me, what an honor it would be!
», Matsuyama replied when Nick Faldo, three-time Masters winner today consultant, mentioned this hypothesis.
“This historic Masters victory will have an impact on the world of golf,” said sport star Tiger Woods.
“You make Japan proud, Hideki.
Congratulations on this enormous accomplishment for you and your country ”, added“ the tiger ”, five-time winner of this Grand Slam lifting and big absentee from this 85th edition, after his serious car accident which broke his right leg at the end of February.
Golf stocks soar on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
The public television channel NHK broadcast interviews with delighted residents of the town of Matsuyama, in the Ehime region (western Japan), where the golfer is from.
“This is great news that will encourage everyone,” said one resident.
"I hope that this brilliant achievement of such a young man will give hope to everyone".
A young woman also said she was "happy" because "we haven't had a lot of good news lately."
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday morning, the values related to golf soared: the title of the company of services related to this sport Value Golf jumped 14.47% to 1,945 yen, that of the manufacturer of graphite shafts Design climbed 16.05% to 629 yen and the Golf Do chain of stores was 14.35% to 486 yen.
