Matsuyama begins playoffs without caddie, coach after theft

Hideki Matsuyama will open play on Thursday at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis without his trusted caddie and coach after they were robbed in London during a stopover.

Matsuyama, who won the bronze medal at the Olympics in Paris 10 days ago, was traveling to Memphis with caddie Shota Hayato and swing coach Mikihito Kuromiya, who had their passports and visas stolen.

Golf Digest Japan reported that the thief or thieves got away with Matsuyama's wallet but not his passport or bronze medal.

Hayato and Kuromiya, however, were forced to return to Japan to apply for new documentation.

They are seeking to speed up the process to get the documents, but Matsuyama said he expects the duo won't be back in the United States before the start of the second leg of the playoffs, next week's BMW Championship in Castle Rock, Colo.

The top 50 qualifiers in Memphis this weekend will move on to the Colorado tournament.

Matsuyama enters the playoffs ranked 12th in the world standings and eighth in FedEx Cup points.

Filling in on Matsuyama's bag will be Taiga Tabuchi, the caddie for Ryo Hisatsune, 21, who didn't qualify for the three-event playoff.

"I'm glad he accepted," Matsuyama said. "He's worked with Hisatsune this year, so I think he knows the ropes, and he can speak English, so I can rely on him."