Hideki Matsuyama Withdraws From WGC-Match Play With Neck Injury

Matsuyama’s neck issues have lingered since the beginning of last year.

Hideki Matsuyama has withdrawn from the WGC-Dell Match Play with a neck injury. The former Masters champion was set to play Max Homa at 10:06 a.m. ET (9:06 local time) in Friday’s group stage match.

Matsuyama’s withdrawal means that Homa will advance to the Round of 16. Kevin Kisner and Justin Suh are eliminated from the tournament. 

Matsuyama was spotted wearing tape on his neck earlier this week at Austin Country Club. Throughout the past year, Matsuyama has battled a lingering neck issue that started at the 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational. At the Sony Open in Hawaii, which Matsuyama won in 2022, he told the media that the problem has been preventing him from practicing as much as he’d like.

Prior to their 9:06 a.m. local tee time at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Hideki Matsuyama has conceded his match to Max Homa due to a neck injury. Homa advances out of group play with a 3-0-0 record.

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 24, 2023

“I been having a little trouble with my neck recently. I wasn't able to practice as much as I can for the last couple months, but the game is trending going forward,” he said in Hawaii. 

“It's been coming back and forth, especially last November, October, November. Every time I played golf it was—the pain was coming back. So I've been working with the doctors, too, and I've been getting some good advice, so I feel like it's getting better and better.”