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Hideki Matsuyama Withdraws From Players Championship

2021 Masters champion suffered injury at Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Bob Harig|
Hideki Matsuyama Withdraws From Players Championship
Hideki Matsuyama Withdraws From Players Championship

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Defending Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama withdrew from the Players Championship prior to his starting time Thursday morning with a neck and shoulder injury he suffered during the second round of last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“He gutted it out the last three days and received treatment all this week," said Bob Turner, Matsuyama’s manager, in a text message. "He only walked the course and chipped/putted for practice this week. This morning he was unable to make a full swing and WD."

Patrick Rodgers replaced Matsuyama in the field.

Matsuyama and Scottie Scheffler are the only players to win twice this season on the PGA Tour. Matsuyama won the Zozo Championship and the Sony Open in Hawaii. He is ranked No. 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking and tied for 20th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

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Bob Harig
BOB HARIG

Bob Harig is a senior writer covering golf for Sports Illustrated. He has more than 25 years experience on the beat, including 15 at ESPN. Harig is a regular guest on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and has written two books, "DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods" and "Tiger and Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry." He graduated from Indiana University where he earned an Evans Scholarship, named in honor of the great amateur golfer Charles (Chick) Evans Jr. Harig, a former president of the Golf Writers Association of America, lives in Clearwater, Fla.

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