Hideki Matsuyama hopes to defend Masters title despite neck, shoulder pain

Golf fans around the world received multiple pieces of positive news Tuesday, approximately 48 hours before the start of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday morning.

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods announced that he feels he's on track to compete roughly 14 months after he nearly lost his leg, career and maybe even his life in a serious car accident. Woods has since been grouped with Joaquin Niemann and Louis Oosthuizen for Thursday. 

Not to be completely outdone, Hideki Matsuyama told reporters he hopes to defend his 2021 Masters crown beginning on Thursday even though he withdrew from the second round of last weekend's Valero Texas Open with neck and shoulder pain.

"I just came from the practice range and really felt good," Matsuyama said on Tuesday, per Paul Rogers of the Masters' website. "It’s probably the best I felt in a long time. So I’m looking forward to Thursday, and hopefully I’ll be 100% by then." 

Matsuyama, the first Japanese golfer to win the Masters tournament or any of golf's major championships, notched victories at the Zozo Championship in October and then at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January. However, the 30-year-old pulled out of the Players Championship last month because of back problems before he withdrew from the Valero Texas Open last Friday. 

His next duty will be to host the Masters Champions Dinner on Tuesday evening.