Hideki Matsuyama Robbed Shortly After Winning Olympic Bronze Medal, Will Be Without Caddie To Begin Playoffs

Hideki Matsuyama should enter this week's FedEx St. Jude Championship - the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs - with plenty of confidence while ranked eighth in the standings and fresh off winning a bronze medal in the Olympics, but that may not be the case after falling victim to a robbery in the United Kingdom.

The former Masters champion revealed ahead of this week's PGA Tour event in Memphis that he, his caddie Shota Hayato, and coach Mikihito Kuromiya encountered the incident in London during a quick stopover after the Paris Olympics. Matsuyama and his team were preparing to head to the United States to begin the FedEx Cup Playoffs when he had his wallet stolen. Fortunately, he did not have his medal taken from him.

While Matsuyama having his wallet stolen is less than ideal, his caddie and coach each had their passports stolen to make matters much worse and complicated. The two were forced to return to Japan given they are now without documentation and are rushing to have their passports and visas reissued so they can link back up with Matsuyama as soon as possible. 

As soon as possible may not be soon enough, however, as Golf Digest Japan has reported that the earliest Kuromiya and Hayato can travel to the United States would be just before the Tour Championship, the final event of the season, in two weeks time.

Hideki Matsuyama will be without his caddie during the FedEx St. Jude Championship after they were victims of a robbery shortly after the Olympics. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

"There's a chance they'll make it, but we have to go into it thinking it's close to zero," Matsuyama explained.

Matsuyama has called upon Taiga Tabuchi to carry his back this week in Memphis and for the foreseeable future.

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

With Matsuyama being a reserved person who keeps his circle incredibly tight, not having his caddie and swing coach with him throughout the coming weeks both on and off the course will be an adjustment. He's taking things in stride, however, and is just going to go back to playing golf like he did before he ever had a swing coach.

"I'm going to play golf as if I went back to the way I was before I had a coach. I feel like all the responsibility is on me. I'm looking forward to that for the first time in a while," the Japan native explained.