Matsuyama up front about fitness but Champions Dinner menu a question mark

FILE Image : Golfing – The Masters – Augusta National Golfing Club – Augusta, Ga, U.S. – April 4, 2022 Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama REUTERS/Mike Segar

AUGUSTA, Ga., April 5 (Reuters) – Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama declared himself in good shape to defend his Masters title but the Champions Supper menu remained a big question mark on Tuesday.

Neck and back again problems have disrupted Matsuyama’s Masters preparations and the 30-calendar year-aged conceded that the past handful of months have been a wrestle.

Matsuyama received the period off to a traveling start with wins at the Zozo Championship and Sony Open up but was forced out of the Gamers Championships in March thanks to a again problem and past week’s Valero Texas Open with a neck personal injury.

“It can be been a good yr with wins at ZOZO and Sony,” mentioned Matsuyama, with the assistance of a translator. “The previous pair of months, even though, have been a wrestle.

“Hopefully, I can obtain my recreation and be a deserving defending champion.”

Even without fitness fears, the obstacle going through Matsuyama when engage in will get underway on Thursday is a complicated just one.

No player has gained the Masters in consecutive a long time due to the fact Tiger Woods in 2001-02 and prior to that only Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) have pulled off the Augusta double.

The neck troubles are the far more stressing, the flare-up at the Valero Texas Open up a return of the personal injury he 1st sustained in the 2nd round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in early March.

“I had a great deal of procedure very last 7 days,” mentioned Matsuyama, the 1st Japanese male to acquire a main championship with his a single-shot victory at final year’s Masters.

“I just arrived from the observe vary and definitely felt very good. It can be almost certainly the best I felt in a extensive time. So I’m looking forward to Thursday, and ideally I will be 100% by then.”

When Matsuyama was ready to share particulars about his injuries he supplied no trace about what he has prepared for the Champions supper he is established to host at Augusta National on Tuesday when past winners assemble.

The champion will get to select the menu and typically it includes one thing from the winner’s residence region.

Australian Adam Scott served up Moreton Bay bugs (lobster) while Canadian Mike Weir’s menu bundled elk and Arctic char.

“I am seriously searching forward to the Champions evening meal tonight,” reported Matsuyama. “The menu is…Augusta Countrywide is going to assistance make that announcement later on.”

Reporting by Steve Keating in Augusta, Enhancing by Ed Osmond

Our Expectations: The Thomson Reuters Rely on Rules.