Phil Mickelson makes amusing claim about PGA Tour golfer Hideki Matsuyama

Phil Mickelson has suggested Hideki Matsuyama knows how to speak English but chooses not to because it's convenient. 

Matsuyama set a new PGA Tour record score for 72 holes of 35-under par last week in winning the season-opening event in Hawaii. 

It meant that he beat the previous record, set by LIV Golf's Cameron Smith in 2022, by one stroke. 

The Japanese star's victory at The Sentry was his 11th Tour win since he made his debut on the circuit in 2014.

Despite being an accomplished pro, one golf fan on X suggested that it was 'truly impressive' that Matsuyama 'does not know a lick of English'. 

Mickelson saw the post and interjected, commenting: "Hideki knows English but says 'Hideki no English'. 

Whether this is true has been the source of debate for some time among elite players. 

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth told reporters at the 2022 Masters Tournament that he had grown up with Matsuyama.

That being said, he wasn't sure if he ever had more than a five-word conversation with him.

He said: "I've always wondered, 'Does he really know English and is it more convenient not to?'

Matsuyama was the defending champion that year and shocked attendees of the annual dinner when he delivered his speech in English.

It was one of the best ever and he was even given a standing ovation, according to people in the room at Augusta National. 

He selected one of the greatest's Masters dinner menus of all time:

After chowing down, he spoke for several minutes in English. 

"Everyone in that room would agree that Hideki's speech was incredibly impressive," Gary Player said. 

"He must have had it memorized because he delivered the most terrific words. 

"We all stood up and gave him a standing ovation. It was the first standing ovation for anyone in all my years going to the Champions Dinner.”

Zach Johnson described Matsuyama's speech as 'inspiring' and 'reverent'. 

"I've had a lot of moments in that room," he said. "And when it comes to Hideki, that was humility at its finest."

Adam Scott added: "I've been fairly close to Hideki, maybe as close as anyone. And it was still amazing to hear from him how much it all really meant to him.

"It humanized him with his peers. He's just like us, how much he cares about the game and everything. 

"It meant a lot to everyone in the room that he made the effort to do that."

Matsuyama is now 32 years old. 

His victory last week took his career prize money earnings over $59m. 

Matsuyama will be back in action this week's Sony Open in Honololu. 

The action gets underway on Thursday at Waialae Country Club. 

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