Masters Sunday: What you need to know

From Sunday, here’s what you need to know leading into the 2021 Masters:

No language barrier

Xander Schauffele is from San Diego. Hideki Matsuyama is from Japan and needs a translator to help with his interview sessions with English-speaking media.

That doesn’t mean Schauffele and Matsuyama can’t talk on the course.

They were paired in the third and fourth rounds. Schauffele — whose grandparents lived in Japan — knows a little bit of the language.

“I know a little bit of Japanese,” Schauffele said. “I threw my few words in here and there. Just some proper words. Some bad ones, too.”

ExploreHideki Matsuyama becomes Japanese golf legend with Masters win

Credit: CURTIS COMPTON / AJC

Credit: CURTIS COMPTON / AJC

Masters fact of the day

Masters all-time money leaders (not including this year):

Tiger Woods $9,556,069 (23 Masters)

Phil Mickelson $8,067,517 (28)

Jordan Spieth $4,594,828 (7)

Dustin Johnson $4,246,475 (10)

Bubba Watson $3,968,305 (12)

Justin Rose $3,738,015 (15)

Adam Scott $3,710,527 (19)

Angel Cabrera $3,537,257 (20)

Lee Westwood $3,450,930 (19)

Sergio Garcia $3,288,530 (21)

Fred Couples $2,793,036 (35)

Vijay Singh $2,603,118 (27)

Jose Maria Olazabal $2,591,106 (31)

Ernie Els $2,533,343 (23)

Rory McIlroy $2,527,521 (12)

ExploreMasters payout: Hideki Matsuyama collects $2.07 million

Quote of the day

Webb Simpson has played with Hideki Matsuyama on the PGA Tour and against him the Presidents Cup and knows how important he is to Japan.

Q. Can you put into words how big of a deal he is in Japan?

Simpson: Yeah, I think he’s got a great demeanor about him. He seems to handle the pressure so well. I think it’s a hard lifestyle living over here. I think his wife and kid are at home, and I know that’s hard. I know he wants to be there more. He’s chosen a career on the PGA TOUR, and he’s got a humble attitude about him. I think over there he is a big star, but there’s a humility to him that is pretty cool to see someone have that much attention on him. Yeah, he’s handled it well. I mean, it’s been a long career already.