AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Gary Player does not begrudge Tiger Woods for using medications to manage the pain from numerous surgeries over the years, but his fellow Masters champion does believe that the 15-time major winner should not be behind the wheel of a car.
Woods was arrested March 27 on suspicion of driving under the influence after his Land Rover struck a trailer and flipped on its side along a residential street. Florida authorities determined
him to be impaired when they found two painkillers in his pocket. Woods also refused to submit to a urine test and was briefly jailed.
"You know," Player said Thursday, “it's very easy — the human being is so critical of everything. If I or any of you in this room had the pain that Tiger Woods had — think of the excruciating pain that this man has been going through for a long time.
“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no. He has sleep deprivation,” Player continued. “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 cell phone in a car.”
The 90-year-old Player spoke about Woods after helping to hit the honorary tee shots to start the first round of the Masters.
Known for his fastidious diet and fitness regiment, Player went so far as to admit he no longer drives himself these days.
“So I think all he's got to do is just not drive a car, and get a chauffeur,” Player said. “My reflexes, I think, are as good as when I was 20, but I don't drive anymore. I get a chauffer. I think that's the answer to it.”
Woods, a five-time Masters champion, said last week he would be missing the tournament at Augusta National for the second straight year so that he could seek treatment at an undisclosed facility outside of the U.S., and “prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
The announcement came hours after he pleaded not guilty to a DUI charge in connection with the crash.
Woods' injury list over the last 14 years is a long one. He had reconstructive knee surgery in 2008, four back surgeries from 2014-17, and he was previously arrested in 2017 for taking what he called a bad mix of painkillers that resulted in him falling asleep behind the wheel of a running car.
Four years ago, Woods’s right leg and ankle were crushed when his speeding SUV ran over a median and toppled down a hillside on a coastal road in Los Angeles. He also had surgery on his Achilles tendon and a seventh back surgery last year.
“My heart goes out for him,” Player said. “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.”
Just about everyone at Augusta National this week has expressed sympathy for Woods, but many players — including Jason Day — also agreed with Player that he should not have been behind the wheel of a car.
“He’s just a human being like everyone else, and we have struggles,” Day said. “It’s unfortunate. The only thing that I don’t understand is that it’s a little bit selfish of him to drive and put other people in harm’s way, as well.”
Day, a former No. 1, called Woods his “hero," and said the reasons he began playing golf were Woods and the Masters.
“It’s hard to see him go through what he’s going through, and especially under the microscope. It must be hard to be who he is and have everything, everyone look on, kind of down on him,” Day said. "Some people want him to fail. Some people obviously want him to succeed. It’s really difficult for me to go through that and watch him, and I know that he’s getting the help now, which is good. I’m just hoping he comes out on the other side and is better.”
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
