"I hope I can do it without pain": Hideki Matsuyama reportedly a doubt for Arnold Palmer Invitational due to injury

Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama has been listed on the roster for the upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Florida. However, he may have to give the coveted tournament a miss due to a last-minute injury.

The tournament will take place from March 2 - 5 2023 at the Bay Hill Golf Course. 43 of the top 50 golfers in the world are slated to tee off at the course. Hideki Matsuyama's tee time is scheduled to be at 13:01 local time.

However, rumors have been abuzz on social media that Matsuyama may drop out of the tournament following an injury. In a press conference at the Sony Open in January, he had mentioned that he had been suffering from a neck injury, saying:

"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. So I can’t expect too much, but I’m really looking forward to this week."

The same neck injury seems to have returned, putting Matsuyama's chances of participating at the Arnold Palmer Invitation at risk.

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Hideki Matsuyama shares more details about neck injury

Hideki Matsuyama at The Genesis Invitational - Round Two (Image via Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Hideki Matuyama was recently interviewed by Yahoo Sports Japan where he opened up about his struggles with the neck injury. He said that he was hoping to play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational if he could keep the injury in control, saying:

"I was looking forward to it because I was able to practice for a week feeling good, but yesterday I got a little pain in my neck, so I couldn't go too fast today. I still have some anxiety, but I want to do my best to keep my golf in good condition and get good results in tournaments."

Matsuyama admitted that his options had been considerably slimmed down following the injury. He said:

"The things I can do are limited in the condition I am in today, so I will switch to 'I hope I can do it without pain'."