As COVID-19 gripped the globe in March 2020, the sports world saw one devastating cancellation after another—and no one felt the sting quite like Hideki Matsuyama. With the world spiraling, Matsuyama was on the brink of a multimillion-dollar payday at The Players Championship, holding a two-stroke lead after an electrifying, would-be record-breaking round of 63 at TPC Sawgrass.
Then, in a brutal twist, the tournament was axed. Just one day earlier, the NBA had sparked a chain reaction after suspending its season when Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, with his infamous mic-touching incident becoming the pandemic’s first viral sports moment. Within hours, the NHL, MLB, MLS, and even March Madness followed suit, forcing sports to an unprecedented standstill.
The PGA Tour initially tried to play on. The Players Championship allowed fans to attend the opening round on March 12, even advising players to avoid autographs and fan interaction. But by Friday, with the crisis deepening, officials finally pulled the plug before the second round could begin.
For Matsuyama, the cancelation left a haunting “what if” on his season. Fellow PGA golfer Michael Kim recently shed light on just how close Matsuyama came to cashing in big. According to Kim, had all competitors finished their first round, the PGA Tour might have paid the full tournament purse—including the $2.7 million first-place prize. But because four players failed to complete 18 holes due to darkness, Matsuyama’s incredible 63 was wiped from the books.
Instead, the PGA Tour followed its handbook, awarding a 50% purse payout because the tournament hadn’t officially completed a full round. Under this rule, golfers got a meager $52,000 each instead of the six- and seven-figure payouts they might have seen. PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan later acknowledged the rule’s limitations but held firm to the handbook guidelines, which left Matsuyama wondering what might have been.
In the wake of one of the sport’s most surreal moments, Matsuyama missed a payday that could have changed his year—if not his career. As the world grappled with the early days of the pandemic, the lost millions for a golfer at the top of his game served as a quiet but powerful reminder of the price many paid when the sports world came to a sudden, grinding halt.
