Hideki Matsuyama made history last spring when he won the Masters, put on the iconic green jacket and became the first Japanese man to claim a major golf championships.

And while the humble 29-year-old looks to burnish his legacy by becoming just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles, he wants other players from his homeland to help him lift Japanese golf to new heights.

So far, only Jack Nicklaus in 1966, Nick Faldo in 1990 and Tiger Woods in 2002 have successfully defended Masters titles.