April 10, 2025

Wednesday at the Masters with Hiroshi Tai

Official Masters Site Leaderboard Watch Live

Photos courtesy of Augusta National Golf Club/The Masters

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Hiroshi Tai is the first Singaporean golfer to compete in the Masters, and the junior Yellow Jacket is the fifth amateur from the Institute to compete in the tournament. Following are more news articles, videos and social media posts to give our fans a peek into his week at Augusta National Golf Club.

HIROSHI TAI’S MASTERS EXPERIENCE IS RICH, AND THE TOURNAMENT HASN’T EVEN STARTED

On an impossibly beautiful Wednesday morning, Hiroshi Tai looked like he very much fit in at the Masters.

With a chill in the air, the Georgia Tech junior warmed up on the driving range at Augusta National Golf Club, sharing the range with stars such as Fred Couples and Sergio Garcia. Leaving the range to go to the first tee for his practice round, he bro-hugged a club member, chatted and posed for a photo before hopping on a golf cart with caddie and Tech assistant coach Devin Stanton to go to the course.

He teed off alone, behind a group that included stars Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. On the first few holes, playing as a single left him time to toss out balls and work on iron approaches, chip shots and putts. It had the air of a casual, breezy day at the local course.

From behind the ropes, his father Jacky Tai, mother Yuki Hirahara and sister Yoko Tai watched intently. Yoko, a member of the Columbia golf team, snapped pictures on a disposable camera. The gallery also included friends from Tai’s high school, Windermere (Fla.) Prep, a teaching pro, Singapore golf officials, his mother’s golfing circle from Singapore and Tech coach Bruce Heppler.

How could this day have been imagined when Hiroshi and Yoko learned the game at the Singapore Island Country Club, or later when the family moved to Shanghai or even when their parents granted their children’s wish to move to Florida before high school to enroll at a golf academy and pursue their passion?

Georgia Tech’s Hiroshi Tai’s Masters experience is rich, and the tournament hasn’t even started https://t.co/6RPUwuNUmN
— Doug Roberson (@DougRobersonAJC) April 9, 2025

WELCOME TO THE MASTERS MOMENT

The 2025 Masters will be the first for 21 golfers, each taking part in one of sports’ greatest tournaments at Augusta National Golf Club.

There seems to be a moment in every debut when a player’s presence at the Masters truly sinks in.

Amateur Hiroshi Tai, who qualified as the NCAA Individual Champion for Georgia Tech in May, seemed to have that kind of moment Monday. Tai didn’t get to play the course because of bad weather, so he took consolation in another moment that many professionals dread.

“I think it’s pretty cool doing a press conference,” Tai said. “You don’t really do that in college golf very often.”

Tai recognized there were other — and likely much more exciting — events in his near future. The Georgia Tech junior will revel in several events honoring amateur golfers throughout Masters week.

“The amateur dinner tonight I think will be something that all of us are looking forward to,” Tai said. “Obviously there’s five of us here, and I think we’re all staying in the Crow’s Nest, as well. It’ll be a really fun Monday night.

“Definitely a little bit better than being in class today.”

Singapore’s Hiroshi Tai earned his invitation to the Masters Tournament after winning the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Individual Championship last May. Tai is currently a junior at Georgia Tech. pic.twitter.com/pITtjSsjDR
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2025

HIROSHI TAI MAKING HIS MASTERS DEBUT

Georgia Tech golfer Hiroshi Tai will make his Masters debut on Thursday.

Tai secured his place in the field after won the NCAA men’s golf championship last year. He is only the fifth amateur from Georgia Tech to compete in the legendary tournament.

Channel 2′s Alison Mastrangelo caught up with his family as they prepare to watch their son play in the biggest tournament of his life.

“It’s unbelievable and in a way, a dream can come true for anyone who puts enough effort and consistency over the years, it will happen,” Jacky Tai said.

Tai’s dad Jacky, his mom Yuki and sister Yoko all made the trip to watch his every stop on the historic grounds of Augusta National.

“If you had not me a year ago, I’d be here like just watching and like, to have my brother be in the event, actually playing, that’s pretty cool. Like I wouldn’t have believed it,” Yoko said.

When Tai tees off on Thursday, he will make history as the first golfer from Singapore to compete in The Masters.

More from WSB-TV