Japan’s Matsuyama to play golf with Trump, Abe next month

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan reacts during the third round of the CIMB Classic golf tournament at Tournament Players Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, October 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Sadiq Asyraf)

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama has accepted the chance to play golf with US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next month, the world number four said on Wednesday. Trump will visit Japan from November 5 to November 7 for a five-nation Asia tour and the game with Matsuyama has been scheduled on the first day at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe near Tokyo.

Matsuyama said he felt undeserving when he was contacted but accepted the surprise request to tee off with the two world leaders as it was a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be good enough,” Matsuyama was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.

“I hope to have fun so that it will be engraved in my memory. I’ll do my best not to lose (against Trump),” added the 25-year-old, who is in Shanghai for the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club.

This combination file photo shows Donald Trump, right, stands on the 14th fairway during a pro-am round of the AT&T National golf tournament at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. on June 27, 2012, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, playing golf in Yamanakako village, west of Tokyo, on July 23, 2016. (Source: AP Photo/File)

Trump, an avid golfer and owner of several courses around the world, has previously played rounds with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and women’s world No. 3 Lexi Thompson. Earlier this year, McIlroy said that he would “think twice” before accepting a second invitation to play with Trump after receiving criticism.