[PHOTO: Boston Common Golf]
Boston Common Golf today announced that Masters and nine-time PGA Tour winner Hideki Matsuyama will join the team and play alongside Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott in the new, tech-infused, prime-time golf league, TGL presented by SoFi.
“On behalf of Boston Common Golf and everyone at Fenway Sports Group, I want to express our deep appreciation to Hideki for joining this ground-breaking venture that will showcase team golf like never before,” said Boston Common Golf president and chief executive Mark Lev. “Hideki’s calm demeanour and resilience will perfectly complement Rory’s dynamic skills, Adam’s experience, and Keegan’s tenacity, making us a formidable force. His historic Masters victory, technical precision, and unwavering work ethic have solidified his place among golf’s elite, and with him, we become a team of players representing four continents, each a major champion. His commitment to promoting golf globally and in Japan through youth clinics is inspiring a new generation and we are fortunate to have him on our team.”
“I’m excited to join Boston Common Golf and be a part of TGL,” Matsuyama said. “Teaming up with Rory, Keegan and Adam – three incredible players I deeply respect – fills me with excitement and anticipation. Together, I hope we can push the boundaries of golf and create an unforgettable new experience for fans around the world. Most importantly, I am looking forward to the four of us winning championships together.”
Matsuyama has consistently ranked among the top golfers globally, including nine PGA Tour wins, with his most recent victory coming at the Genesis Invitational in February, and eight additional international victories, reflecting his sustained performance and impact on the sport. Matsuyama currently ranks 12th and has ranked as high as No.2 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He has qualified to compete at the Presidents Cup five times (2013, ’15, ’17, ’19, ’22), the World Cup of Golf (2016) and the Olympic Games (2020, 2024). Matsuyama became the first Japanese player to win a men’s major championship when he won the 2021 Masters, an achievement that earned him the Prime Minister’s Award in Japan. He also has top-six finishes in all four majors, including runner-up in the 2017 US Open. As an amateur, Matsuyama was a World University Games gold medallist and claimed back-to-back Asian-Pacific Amateur Championships. Matsuyama has eight Japan Tour titles (including one as an amateur), and became the first Japanese amateur to play in the Masters Tournament. Born in Ehime, Japan, Matsuyama now resides in Sendai.
“Today is significant for Boston Common Golf as we welcome Hideki, a highly respected player on and off the course,” McIlroy said. “As one of Japan’s most accomplished athletes, his addition, combined with TGL’s tech platform and Fenway Sports Group’s expertise, will help us reach a global audience.”
Added Scott: “I’ve been close with Hideki as teammates on the Presidents Cup International team and throughout both of our professional careers. Hideki has shown he is a world-class international player, the best to ever come from Japan. What those of us close to him know is that he is a world-class person as well. We’re lucky to have him join Boston Common Golf and TGL to not only showcase his talent as our teammate, but to allow fans around the world get to know a little more of his personality as well.”
“Adding Hideki to Boston Common Golf along with Adam and Rory shows the global reach that our sport, league and team can have,” Bradley said. “As a past champion of the Zozo Championship, I’ve seen the passion and respect that the fans in Japan have for the sport. Hideki is dedicated to giving back to the game in Japan and I’m excited to be a part of that effort.”
Boston Common Golf is part of Fenway Sports Group and one of six inaugural teams in TGL presented by SoFi, a new golf league offering a fresh approach to the sport with a focus on technology, innovation, and fan engagement. Featuring the world’s top players, TGL’s team golf competition merges physical and virtual golf with two-hour, prime-time matches.