Hideki Matsuyama on road to recovery ahead of Masters defence

Defending Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama is confident he will have recovered from a back injury when he tees up at Augusta National in just over a fortnight’s time.

Hideki Matsuyama during a practice round for The Players Championship before he withdrew prior to the first round at TPC Sawgrass due to a back issue. Picture: Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

Matsuyama, the first Japanese player to win a men’s major, withdrew from The Players Championship a fortnight ago before getting underway in the first round at Sawgrass.

“I've been receiving a lot of treatment, getting prepared,” Matsuyama told reporters during a teleconference.

“Really yesterday was the first day that I've been able to have a good practice session. So the remainder of this week and next week, I'll do my best to prepare well so I can defend my title at Augusta.”

Helped by a third-round 65, Matsuyama claimed the Green Jacket by a shot from American Will Zalatoris last April.

“My recovery is moving forward. Each day it gets better,” he added. “Probably at 80 percent right now and I'm intending to play in the Valero Texas Open as long as the pain keeps subsiding.”

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