Injury knocks last year’s Masters champ out of Texas tournament

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Just days ahead of the start of the 2022 Masters, last year’s champion has withdrawn from a Texas golf tournament due to a neck injury.

Hideki Matsuyama exited the second round of the Valero Texas Open on Friday, calling into question his status in this year’s Masters.

He’s set to defend his title next week.

He also withdrew from the Players Championship just before play started earlier this month, citing a back injury.

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He was the first man from Japan to win a major championship and was the first Masters champion from Asia.

Matsuyama’s one-shot victory over Will Zalatoris last year at Augusta National was easily the biggest moment for the sport in Matsuyama’s golf-crazed homeland of Japan.

Japan has been sending golfers to the Masters since 1936, with about three dozen players combining for well over 100 appearances at Augusta National.

And none had ever finished a round atop the leaderboard until last year.