Waiting for word on Woods as duo aim to join elite club – Masters talking points

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama will defend his title when the 86th Masters takes place at Augusta National from April 7-10.

Matsuyama is bidding to become just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles after Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the year’s first men’s major championship.

Will Tiger Woods take part?

Woods has not played in a top-level event since his horrific car crash in Los Angeles in February last year, the 15-time major winner suffering such severe injuries that he feared his right leg might have to be amputated. The 46-year-old has fallen to 944th in the world rankings as a result, but is eligible for the Masters as a former champion and remains listed as an active player on the tournament’s official website. In 2016 and 2017 Woods waited until the Friday before tournament week to announce he would not play due to injury and the sense is that he is again giving himself as long as possible to prove his fitness.

Can Matsuyama retain his title?

'I've been receiving a lot of treatment': Hideki Matsuyama on right track to be back to defend Masters title https://t.co/N9JFr8x2JG

The chances of Matsuyama joining the illustrious trio of back-to-back winners looked good when he ended his 2021 campaign with a five-shot victory in his native Japan and then won the Sony Open in Hawaii on his second start of 2022. However, a lingering back injury forced him to pull out of the Players Championship shortly before the start of round one and he will arrive at Augusta with just one start – in the Valero Texas Open – under his belt since.

Eighth time lucky for McIlroy?

Since winning the Open Championship in 2014 to claim the third leg