Matsuyama out of Players Championship with back injury

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama has withdrawn from The Players Championship because of a back injury. The PGA Tour did not disclose the nature of the injury. Matsuyama is a month away from his title defense at Augusta National. He became the first Japanese man to win a major last year at the Masters. Matsuyama already is a two-time winner this year on the PGA Tour. He won the Zozo Championship in Japan last fall and the Sony Open in Hawaii in January. Patrick Rodgers takes his place in the $20 million tournament.