(Reuters) - Hideki Matsuyama, suddenly the hottest player in world golf, is projected to rise to sixth in the world rankings after a runaway victory at the Taiheiyo Masters in Japan on Sunday. Matsuyama finished at 23-under-par 265 to crush the field by seven strokes at the Japan Tour event at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba course at the base of snow-capped Mount Fiji. Matsuyama began his hot streak by winning the Japan Open by three strokes, before finishing second to American Justin Thomas at the U.S. PGA Tour's CIMB Classic in Malaysia.
