Reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama withdraws from Players Championship

Two years ago, as COVID-19 began shutting down major sports across the country, the PGA Tour decided to play the first round of the Players Championship anyway. Hideki Matsuyama opened the event with a course record-tying 63.

Then, golf stopped.

Last year, Matsuyama missed the cut at TPC Sawgrass, so 2022 was another opportunity for the major champion to make a run at the Players Championship trophy.

However, Matsuyama withdrew from Thursday morning, citing a back injury. Replacing the Japanese star in the field is former college standout Patrick Rodgers. Rodgers played in Orlando last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he eventually tied for 38th. Rodgers is currently ranked No. 233 on the Official World Golf Ranking and No. 115 on the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.