‘This guy wants it’: Masters champ fights flooded green for PGA practice

On Monday at the Quail Hollow, Mother Nature helped us determine who really wants to win this 2025 PGA Championship. His name is Hideki Matsuyama, and he wasn’t going to let torrential rain impact his major prep.

Severe storms hit PGA Championship host course

The first day of PGA Championship week did not go as planned. Instead of having the entire field of golf stars play practice rounds and prep on the range all day, major downpours walloped the course, forcing most fans and players to pack up and leave.

And the rain isn’t going to stop any time soon. A quick look at the PGA Championship weather forecast for this week in Charlotte shows that things should be calm during the tournament rounds. But before then, more rain is on the way.

Tuesday, May 13, could see severe thunderstorms crash Quail Hollow. And AM showers are expected again on Wednesday.

So if you’re a pro who’s keen on getting as much practice in as possible, you have no choice but to battle with the elements.

And that’s exactly what Matsuyama did on Monday.

Hideki Matsuyama’s crazy, rainy PGA practice

While most players were nowhere to be found once the downpours started on Day 1, PGA Tour pro Austin Eckroat happened to be walking the course.

In the process, he happened upon the practice green and a wild scene that was unfolding.

There on the partially flooded putting surface amid heavy rain was Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, casually getting in some putting practice as if it was a beautiful day.

Two of Matsuyama’s team members were generously helping him out, with one holding an umbrella over his head as he putted. Eckroat took a quick video of the moment, and posted it to Instagram with the caption, “This guy wants it @hideki.matsuyama_official.” Check it out below.

The umbrella was probably unnecessary, as the rain was so heavy that all three men were getting soaked. But Matsuyama continued to roll the rock.

Matsuyama is playing well so far this season. He won the season-opening Sentry event in Hawaii. He’s also collected seven top-25 finishes and only two missed cuts in 11 starts in 2025. At last month’s Masters, Matsuyama finished T21 after enjoying ribeye at Scottie Scheffler’s Masters Champions Dinner.

Now Matsuyama will attempt to capture the second major title of his career at rainy Quail Hollow. And we know he’ll be at least as well prepared as anyone else in the field.