Dunlop Sports Signs Golf Gear Deal with Hideki Matsuyama

Japanese Super Rookie Joins Team SRIXON

Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Head Office: Kobe, Japan; President: Yasushi Nojiri) has signed rookie sensation Hideki Matsuyama, who has already won twice* on the Japan Tour and finished tied for 10th at the U.S. Open Championship, to a contract which includes golf ball, equipment, cap, gloves and shoes.

Hideki Matsuyama

Before turning professional in April of 2013, Matsuyama earned the prestigious Silver Cup at the 2011 Masters Tournament and won the 2011 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters as an amateur. In his first year as a touring professional, with his sights set on winning in major tournaments, Matsuyama won the Tsuruya Open in only his second start as a professional and then earned the second victory of his rookie season at the Diamond Cup Golf. Matsuyama added to his outstanding start as a professional by finishing in a tie for 10th in his first ever U.S. Open Championship. Matsuyama is expected to have an excellent chance of finishing high at the British Open Championship, which begins July 18th.

“I’ve earned two victories* on the Japan Tour and finished tied for 10th at the U.S. Open Championship after turning professional, all while using SRIXON clubs and balls, which I have played since I was a junior player,” Matsuyama said. “I’ve decided to keep on using them because I really trust and have a deep attachment to SRIXON, which has been indispensable for me in my efforts to compete at tournaments around the world. With my goals set on winning in the major tournaments, I plan to make it happen with the SRIXON staff who has always supported me. I would like to ask for their continued support.”

*Number of wins as of June 23.

Matsuyama’s Products (tentative)
* Ball: SRIXON Z-STAR XV
* Driver: SRIXON Z725 Prototype
* Fairway Wood: SRIXON
* Utility: SRIXON
* Iron: SRIXON Z925 (#3-PW)
* Wedge: Cleveland CG 17 Forged
* Bag: SRIXON (GGC-S042)
* Cap: SRIXON
* Gloves: SRIXON (GGG-S005)
* Shoes: SRIXON (GGS-S006)
* Umbrella: SRIXON

Matsuyama’s Profile
* Affiliation:  Tohoku Fukushi University
* Date of birth:  February 25, 1992
* Place of birth:  Ehime, JAPAN
* Turned pro:  April 2, 2013
* Height:  1.80 m (5ft 11in)

Matsuyama’s Results
* Ranking
Japan Golf Tour Ranking:  1st (As of June 23, 2013)
Official World Golf Ranking:  48th (As of June 23, 2013)

* Results after Turning Professional
Japan Golf Tour
-Tsuruya Open - WIN
- Diamond Cup Golf - WIN
- The Crowns - 2nd
- PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup - 2T
- Japan Golf Tour Championship Shishido Hills - 7T
- Token Homemate Cup - 10T
Major Tournament
- U.S. Open Championship - 10T

* Wins during Amateur Years
Professional Tournaments
- 2011 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters
Amateur Tournaments
2012 Japan Collegiate Golf Championship
2011 Asian Amateur Championship
         Japan Collegiate Golf Championship
         World University Championship (Universiade)
         Minister of Sports Trophy the 4th All Japan University and High School Championship
2010 Asian Amateur Championship
2009 Asian Junior Golf Team Championship
         Japan Junior Golf Championship (ages 15-17)

* Professional Tournament Results as an amateur
2012 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament - 2
         Sun Chlorella Classic - 2T (LA)
         Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters - 4T (LA)
         Japan Open Golf Championship - 7T (LA)
2011 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters - WIN
         Sun Chlorella Classic - 6T (LA)
         Golf Nippon Series JT Cup - 21
         Masters Tournament - 27T (LA)
2010 Japan Open Golf Championship - 3T (LA)
*LA= Low Amateur

* Awards
- The Best Amateur 2012 by Japan Golf Association
- Special Prize 2011 by the Golf Tournament Promotion Association of Japan
- Special Prize and Golf Journalist Prize 2011 by Japan Golf Tour Organization
- Special Prize 2011 by Japan Golf Association
- Sports Grand Prize of the 11th Daiki Sports Foundation Sports Award (Ehime Prefecture)
- The 10th Sports Grand Prize by Tohoku Sports Journalists Sports Award
- 2011 Sendai City Sports Grand Prize
- Kagayaki Matsuyama Grand Prize
- The Best Amateur 2011 White Bear Sports Prize by Daily Sports
- 2011 Special Prize of Mainichi Sportsman Award

* Others
After Turning Professional
- Won the 2013 Tsuruya Open in only his second professional tournament, setting a new record since the establishment of the JGTO as the fastest player ever to win a tournament after turning professional.

During Amateur Years
- Finished 2nd at the International Final Qualifying-Asia to qualify for the 2013 British Open Championship
- Individual MVP at the 2012 National University Golf Championship
- Became the third amateur to win a professional tournament (since JGTO was established) at
the 2011 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters. (1980-Massy Kuramoto, 2007-Ryo Ishikawa)
- First Japanese amateur to earn a spot in the 2011 Masters Tournament. He is also the first and only Japanese amateur to win the prestigious Silver Cup.

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