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[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Hideki Matsuyama Exits Tourney with Neck Pain

A year ago, Hideki Matsuyama also pulled out of a tournament just weeks before the start of the Masters when he was the defending champion.

Published

1 year ago

March 26, 2023

Ed Odeven

Hideki Matsuyama hits a bunker shot in the second round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament in Austin, Texas, on March 23. (KYODO)

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In mid-March 2022, Hideki Matsuyama was sidelined with a back injury and pulled out of a tournament during the second round in the run-up to the Masters, which was held a few weeks later.

But Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, was back on the golf course in time to compete at last year's tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He finished tied for 14th.

This year's Masters is scheduled for April 7-10 at the Augusta National Golf Club, and Matsuyama pulled out of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament in Austin, Texas, on Friday, March 24 due to a neck injury.

Same time of year, a different ailment.

"I experienced some stiffness in my neck this morning while warming up on the range, preventing me from making a full swing," Matsuyama said in a statement.

"As a precautionary measure, I decided to concede my match to Max [Homa] and rest before moving on to the Valero Texas Open next week (March 30-April 2)."

*Hideki Matsuyama chips on the fifth hole in the first round at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament. (Eric Gay/AP)*

On March 12, Matsuyama finished fifth in The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra, Florida, carding a 9-under 279. He had missed the cut at both of his previous two tournaments, the Genesis Invitational and Arnold Palmer Invitational, in February and early March.

Continue reading the full story, which also includes news items on boxing, soccer, auto racing, basketball, baseball and sumo, on SportsLook.

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven.