AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson had just finished striking the ceremonial opening tee shots to officially start the 90th Masters on Thursday morning and now were assembled for a meeting with reporters.
A natural question to Nicklaus — the winningest major champion in golf and a record six-time winner of the Masters — came about the current plight of Tiger Woods, who’s second behind his record 18 major championships with 15.
The 50-year-old Woods, a five-time winner of the Masters, is not at Augusta National this week as he undergoes rehab for addiction to pain killers at a facility out of the country.
“Whatever you need to help you and get back,” the 86-year-old Nicklaus said when asked what his message to Woods would be. “Because I think golf needs him, and we’d love to have him back.”
Player, who’s 90, expressed sympathy for Woods in his struggle and suggested that Woods employ a full-time driver following his DUI arrest in Florida on March 27.
“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no,” Player said. “He has sleep deprivation. Do I blame him for taking something to help him sleep? No. But I don’t think he should drive a car. When you’re taking that medicine, it’s dangerous when you’re driving a car, same as it’s dangerous when you look at your cellphone in the car.
“My heart goes out for him,” Player went on. “There’s nothing worse than living in pain every day of your life. You can’t think of anything worse. I just hope he can get it all sorted out because he’s such an asset to golf and has done so much for the game.”
