Matsuyama 99 problems but a putter ain't one

Cape Town - World number two Hideki Matsuyama will arrive at this week's Northern Trust Open with five putters.

The Japanese star will go with his gut at the last minute, choosing one of the five on the opening tee at the Old Westbury on Thursday.

"I wish I knew which putter I was going to use...that's why I have five," the 25-year-old told Golf Magic before lamenting his form on the greens. 

"So probably on Thursday morning, the caddie will take five of those putters to the first tee and then I'll choose one. 

"I'm still inconsistent in my putting. However, those up-and-downs have levelled out a little bit this past year. And so if there's any difference from my game from last year, it would be improved putting."

Matsuyama is ranked 151st on the PGA Tour this season for putting inside ten feet, a worrying statistic for a player of his calibre. In contrast, world number one Dustin Johnson is ranked 92nd while Jordan Spieth is 99th. 

Both will be with him as the FedEx Cup playoff series begins on Thursday in New York.