Six days before the start of the 86th Masters, defending champion Hideki Matsuyama was forced to withdraw from the second round of the Valero Texas Open on Friday because of a neck injury.
Matsuyama, who last season became the first man from Japan to win a major championship and the first Asian to win the Masters, pulled out of the tournament at TPC San Antonio after playing nine holes in the second round. He was 1-over through his first 27 holes.
Matsuyama, who is ranked 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking, hasn't completed a tournament since tying for 20th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in early March.