Morita
In the case of rugby, a match lasts for just 80 minutes, but golf is played over four days.

In such a long contest, what is your approach for maintaining your mental state, planning, and strategy?

Matsuyama
Until the fourth day, you essentially have time to make up for mistakes. You can fix a bogey on one whole with a birdie on the next. But big errors that lead to double or triple bogeys give you less time to catch up. The key lies in minimizing those kinds of errors over the whole 4 days.

Morita
Over those 4 days, do you try to stay locked in a mindset, or tend to go with the flow?

Matsuyama
I go with the flow. When things go badly, I might get angry and take it out on my coach or caddie...

But it's important to get it all out in that moment, and from practice start preparing for the next day to make sure you can give your best.

Morita
I often hear athletes talk about the three elements: mental, technical, and physical.

They often explain how they assign priorities to these. As a golfer, which would you personally prioritize?

Matsuyama
They’re all important. I used to think it was about one or the other, but they're all vital.

Other people may prioritize among them, but I can't. Mental weakness impacts your technique, which in turn makes you lose confidence, and without physical fitness both training and mindset fall apart. If you’re asking what’s important, they all are.

Morita
You need to have all three?

Matsuyama
I think you do.

Morita
On Toyota Times Sports, we cover a wide range of sports, each one unique and requiring different things in order to win. I wanted to ask you; what do you think it takes to win in golf?

Matsuyama
Being able to hit the best shots when it matters most.

Morita
In that case, you would first need to identify those crucial moments?

Matsuyama
It's usually the last few holes on the final day. If you can hit well in those key moments, that lifts you up and carries you forward.

On the other hand, messing up those chances is disheartening, and it's hard to recover from that.

Morita
To dig a bit deeper, what does it take to hit well in the moments that matter most?

Matsuyama
I think it comes down to your training.

Morita
So, it’s a case of practice makes perfect?

Matsuyama
Not always—I think it depends on how you practice.

Morita
The approach to training?

Matsuyama
I think so.

Morita
And what is your approach?

Matsuyama
I can't say. There are many approaches, and training to help us replicate, but I can't say more.

Morita
That's the million-dollar question, isn’t it.

Matsuyama
It is, but I can't reveal it. I'll share it on my deathbed.

Morita
That’s Matsuyama's secret to world success (laughs). No doubt this year was a big milestone for you, winning Olympic bronze, and I saw that next year we will get to see you play in Japan. Do you have any final words going into 2025?

Matsuyama
This year brought a medal and two wins, but next year I hope to win more, boost my world ranking, and work to close in on Scottie Scheffler (current world number one).

Morita
We're rooting for you. Please join us again on Toyota Times.