Hideki Matsuyama’s 2026 Season Expectations & Outlook

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Assessing the Prospects of Hideki Matsuyama, JJ Spaun, and Colin Morikawa in 2026

Hideki Matsuyama had a mixed performance in 2025, despite victories at The Century Tournament in Hawaii and the Hero World Challenge. Although he did not consistently deliver top finishes throughout the year, he finished strong with notable placements in his last three starts, including a T7 at the Genesis Championship and a T5 at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament. Matsuyama's precision iron play, especially highlighted by his playoff victory at the Hero World Challenge, remains a strength as he enters 2026.

Turning to JJ Spaun, 2025 marked a significant year as it raised his profile on the golf stage. Spaun's memorable tournament at the Sony in Hawaii, where he dawned the "untucked Puma shirt" at The Century Tournament prior, was a pivotal moment. His performance there and subsequent victory at the US Open set the tone for his year, making him a golfer to watch in the upcoming season.

Colin Morikawa's struggles with putting were notable last year, despite experimenting with various caddies, putters, and even his approach to shots. His shift to a center-shafted, zero-torque putter model is part of his extensive efforts to regain form. The Sony Open in Hawaii, a course that rewards accuracy and where he has performed well previously, appears to be an ideal setting for Morikawa to potentially regain consistency and confidence. Morikawa, known for hitting 70% of his fairways, will likely benefit from maintaining routine processes and finding more consistency in his game in 2026.

Each of these three golfers stands at a pivotal point as the new year begins, with each looking to set a positive tone for 2026. For Matsuyama and Morikawa, refining their consistency and health respectively could be key, while Spaun will aim to continue the momentum from his breakthrough performances last year.