MEMPHIS — Hideki Matsuyama lost his wallet in London and lost his caddie and coach for the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs after thieves snatched their bag.
None of that seemed to bother the 32-year-old golf star from Japan on Thursday at TPC Southwind, where the PGA Tour’s postseason teed off.
Chris Kirk made a hole-in-one on his way to a 6-under-par 64 for a one-shot lead in the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Olympic gold medalist Scottie Scheffler and double major winner Xander Schauffele, currently first and second in not only the FedEx Cup standings but the Official World Golf Ranking, were right in the mix as expected.
The surprise in some respects was Matsuyama, the Olympic bronze medalist who has had plenty of distractions since leaving Paris and still motored around the Memphis course on a sweltering day for an opening 65.
“I’ve forgotten it completely. It’s not even an issue now,” Matsuyama said through his interpreter.