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Diaranson 6 aPriL 2022

Matsuyama returns to Masters, enjoying perks of a champion

Texas last week pain-free and driving the conversation. of a spicy kick from Japanese
feeling good for a couple of radishes.
days. “If I can be an inspiration to
them, it makes me very hap- For dessert, Japanese straw-
Then came Wednesday, it py,” Matsuyama said. “Hope- berry shortcake — sponge
stiffened up again and Mat- fully last year’s Masters win cake with Amaou strawber-
suyama eventually withdrew. will help inspire and encour- ries, generally considered
“I haven’t really been able age a lot of young people in Japan’s best kind, ones that
to hit a full shot, a 100% full Japan to take up golf and fol- are typically available only
shot in a long time, so that’s low in my footsteps. ... I don’t through winter and some of
still a question,” Matsuyama know if they were bashful or spring in that country.
said. “But I feel like the treat- what, but I was hoping to be
ment I’ve been receiving is able to talk more with them.” “I’m really looking forward
helping. I’m on the road to to the Champions Dinner,”
full recovery. ... I think by Which, given Matsuyama’s Matsuyama said.
Thursday I’ll be ready to play penchant for privacy, is a bit
my best, hopefully.” of a surprising take. He’s po- It’ll provide him a chance to
(AP) — The introduction winning the Masters again. lite in interviews, even smil- enjoy a perk that he’s rarely
differs slightly from tour- He showed last year that his ing a bit and giving knowing partaken in since winning the
nament to tournament, He went 6 under in a seven- best is more than enough. nods when his best lines drew Masters. He’ll get to wear his
though the general theme hole stretch of the back nine laughs after getting translated green jacket.
never changes. in the third round last year Matsuyama first came to Au- for largely English-speaking
to take command, then held gusta National as an amateur reporters on Tuesday, yet Matsuyama carried the jack-
“The defending Masters on with a final-round 73 to in 2011, getting to the Mas- would never be described as et — Masters winners get to
champion.” beat Will Zalatoris by a shot. ters after winning what was an open book. take it off the Augusta Na-
Matsuyama has won twice then called the Asian Ama- tional property for a year
Those words, or some ver- more since: the Zozo Cham- teur and is now called the Matsuyama kept the menu before it’s supposed to be re-
sion of them, have been what pionship in Japan in October, Asia-Pacific Amateur. It’s a for Tuesday night’s Masters turned — onto a commercial
Hideki Matsuyama has heard then the Sony Open in Ha- relatively new tournament, Club Dinner — it’s more flight out of Atlanta the day
on the first tee of whatever waii in January. having been contested only commonly called the Cham- after winning it a year ago.
tournament he’s played over 12 times and won by 10 men pions Dinner — largely un- He tends not to wear it. He’s
the last year. And last week at “It’s been a great year,” Mat- — three of whom are in this der wraps until it was an- even leery of sending it out
the Valero Texas Open, the suyama said. “It’s great to be Masters field. nounced that morning. for dry cleaning.
words seemed to resonate back here at Augusta. I feel None of his selections was
differently — because that’s very proud and honored to be They all played a practice particularly surprising, espe- “I thought about it and it
when Matsuyama realized here as the defending cham- round together this week as cially since the theme was to needed to be cleaned, but
that his reign is about to end. pion. It’s been a great year well; Matsuyama was joined celebrate the best of Japanese I just was so worried that
with wins at Zozo and Sony. by reigning Asia-Pacific win- fare. something might happen to
“It was a little sad,” Mat- Last couple of weeks, though, ner Keita Nakajima and 2018 it,” Matsuyama said. “So I
suyama said. have been a struggle. Hope- winner Takumi Kanaya. Sushi, sashimi and nigiri didn’t want to let it out of my
fully I can find my game and were to be served as appetiz- sight. I just spent a year look-
There’s one way to avoid that, be a worthy defending cham- “Following the footsteps of ers, along with Yakitori — es- ing at it. I haven’t really worn
of course: He just needs to pion.” Takumi Kanaya and Mas- sentially meaning grilled — it that much, but I look at it a
successfully defend his Mas- ters champion Hideki Mat- chicken skewers. lot. And now I wish I would
ters title, something nobody That last part is the mys- suyama, it’s an honor to do have worn it more.”
has done at Augusta National tery. The neck has even him that,” Nakajima said. Miso-glazed black cod with
since Tiger Woods in 2002. guessing. a Japanese broth would be The introduction on tee box-
Matsuyama, the first Japanese Matsuyama expected his offered, as would the cen- es changes now. The jacket
man to win a major cham- The issue with the left side of playing partners to pepper terpiece: A5 Wagyu ribeye gets returned. He’ll drape
pionship, is hoping a balky his neck first presented itself him with questions about of beef, arguably the finest one over the shoulders of a
neck that has been bothering during the second round at how to play this and that at cut in the world, served with new champion Sunday.
him for a few weeks is good Bay Hill last month. He got Augusta National. mushrooms and vegetables
enough on Thursday to give through that tournament, along with a sansho daikon That is, unless he wins the
him a legitimate chance of tying for 20th, and went to Turns out, he was the one ponzu, a sauce that gets a bit Masters again.

Yankees putting 16 pitchers on opening-day roster; Bird back

(AP) — The New York tect and build up the arms “Health has always been the could be as a big league hitter.
Yankees will carry 16 properly. We’ll make it work, The Yankees signed first base- issue for him, but I don’t Get another talented guy that
pitchers and three bench and if we have to change on man Greg Bird to a minor think anyone has ever doubt- appears to be healthy.”
players on their open- the fly a little bit, we’ll do league contract and assigned ed his potential and what he
ing-day roster Thursday that.” him to Triple-A Scranton/
against the Boston Red Wilkes-Barre. Bird was with
Sox, according to manag- Right-handers Clarke New York from 2015-19 but
er Aaron Boone. Schmidt and Ron Marinaccio had his career derailed by
and lefty JP Sears also earned injures. He opted out of his
Switch-hitting utilityman roster spots. contract with the Toronto
Marwin González will play Blue Jays after hitting .261
a key role off the shortened Teams are allowed to carry 28 with two homers and six
bench. players during April due to RBIs during spring training,
the shortened spring training.
“Marwin’s versatility gives up The 29-year-old played in
pretty good coverage every- Boone said the Yankees are Triple-A for Colorado last
where,” Boone said before planning to return to 13 season, hitting .267 with 27
an exhibition Tuesday against pitchers and four position home runs and 91 RBIs.
the Detroit Tigers. “Just early reserves when the expanded
on, got to make sure we pro- rosters end May 1. “He can hit,” Boone said.