Rory McIlroy in awe as mic picks up what he told Woods about PGA star | Golf | Sport

Rory McIlroy told Tiger Woods that he considers Hideki Matsuyama to have the finest 30-yard approach shot in golf. The Northern Irishman and the PGA Tour legend were shoulder-to-shoulder this week, as Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club surged to a 9-5 semi-finals victory over McIlroy’s Boston Common in the TGL.

Mic’d up for the event, it was McIlroy’s opinion on fellow PGA Tour professional Matsuyama that stole the limelight. Discussing playing alongside the Japanese marvel at the recent Players Championship, the 36-year-old said: “I played with Hideki last week, and I don’t think there’s anyone better with like a 30-yard pitch shot. It’s just so good.”

Woods simply nodded in agreement with McIlroy’s evaluation. At the time of writing, Matsuyama is ranked fifth on the PGA Tour this season in terms of strokes gained around the green, with 0.61 per round. In simple terms, this means he gains more than half a stroke each round by just excelling from within 30 yards of the flag.

His scrambling between 20 and 30 yards is also impeccable – boasting a success rate of between 78 and 80 per cent, which is also impressive for the distance. However, on his best days, Matsuyama has boosted that percentage to as high as 92.3 per cent, sinking for par on the majority of occasions he misses the green.

He also consistently ranks within the top 20 in terms of overall proximity, further validating McIlroy’s assertions. An 11-time PGA Tour champion and the 2021 Masters victor, Matsuyama currently sits 13th in the OWGR. He also claimed December’s Hero World Challenge following a dramatic play-off against Alex Noren.

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Despite his best efforts at the weekend’s Players Championship, the 34-year-old could only manage a T27 finish alongside Ryan Gerard, Nicolai Hojgaard, Chad Ramey and Chris Kirk, posting an overall score of three under par. Cameron Young ultimately stormed the tournament at 13 under, finishing just a single stroke ahead of runner-up, Matt Fitzpatrick.

It comes as McIlroy this week revealed the menu for his Champions Dinner ahead of this year’s Masters. The Holywood-born star shocked the golfing world by finally securing the prized green jacket of Augusta National last April, edging out Justin Rose following a tense play-off on the 18th.

In doing so, he became just the sixth player to complete the Career Grand Slam, joining an elite group of those who have claimed all four majors in Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods. As a result of winning the tournament, he will also host a Champions Dinner alongside the other former champions, and has been tasked with creating a bespoke menu for the occasion.

And now, the official social media team for the Masters have unveiled what players will enjoy at this year’s gathering. Starters will include peach and ricotta flatbread with balsamic, hot honey and basil, rock shrimp tempura with a creamy yet spicy sauce, bacon-wrapped dates with goats cheese and almonds, and grilled elk sliders with caramelised onion jam or roasted garlic aioli.

The first course features yellowfin tuna carpaccio with foie gras, toasted baguette and chives. Guests can choose between wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon, served with Irish champ, sauteed brussels sprouts, glazed carrots with brown butter and crispy Vidalia onion rings.

For dessert, sticky toffee pudding will be served alongside vanilla ice cream and warm toffee sauce. There will also be an extensive selection of French wines, some of which have been aged for over 35 years.