The Masters champion appears to have little in common with Asian Americans. But his win comes at a time when any Asian success story is welcome in the US

And with that, Hideki Matsuyama is the first male Japanese player ever to win a golf major.

Quite interesting timing, particularly as anti-Asian hate crimes in the US have risen 150% over the past year, spurred on by conspiracy theories – spread by those in power – about the origins of Covid-19. The hashtag ‘Stop Asian Hate’ surged more than 5,000% just this past month, according to Google Trends.

Related: Hideki Matsuyama holds nerve to become Masters champion

Related: ‘We’re not taught to speak out’: Asian Americans find their voice amid rise in hate