Golfing icon Gary Player has voiced his heartfelt sympathy for Tiger Woods while issuing a stark warning to the former world number one: stop driving while reliant on pain medication. Woods is currently seeking treatment, believed to be in Switzerland, after being charged with driving under the influence following a car crash near his Florida home last month.
Player's Plea to Woods
During the recent Masters tournament at Augusta, nine-time major winner Gary Player opened up about Woods' situation. "The human being is so critical of everything but my heart goes out to him," Player stated. "There's nothing worse than living in pain every day of your life. You can't think of anything worse."
Player emphasized that he does not blame Woods for taking prescription opioid hydrocodone pills, which police found in his pockets during his arrest. These medications have been used by the 15-time major champion to manage pain from multiple significant surgeries. "Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no. 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," Player asserted.
A Dangerous Combination
Player drew a parallel between driving under the influence of medication and distracted driving. "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 the car," he explained. The golf legend proposed a simple solution: "All he's got to do is just not drive a car and get a chauffeur. My reflexes, I think, are as good as when I was 20, but I don't drive anymore. I get a chauffeur. I think that's the answer to it."
Hope for Woods' Return
Despite the serious nature of his advice, Player expressed optimism about Woods' potential return to golf. Now 50 years old and eligible for the less physically demanding Champions Tour, Woods could still make a successful comeback. "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," Player added.
Nicklaus Weighs In
Jack Nicklaus, whose record of 18 major championships Woods once chased, also shared his thoughts on Woods' situation. When asked if he had a message for the troubled golfer, Nicklaus responded: "Just (get) whatever you need to help you and get back, because I think golf needs him, and we'd love to have him back."
Masters Ceremony Highlights
The comments came during the 90th Masters tournament, where Nicklaus joined Player and Tom Watson as former champions hitting ceremonial tee shots to officially start the event. The 76-year-old Nicklaus admitted the shot caused him anxiety, joking that he would only continue in the role as long as he doesn't "kill anybody."
"I said 'Spread out on both sides because I don't want to kill anybody. If it had been a little closer, I might have,'" Nicklaus recounted. "I got it high enough to hit it about 110 yards over their heads on the left." The golf legend revealed he had carpal tunnel surgery about five to six weeks prior, adding to his concerns about the ceremonial shot.
Nicklaus concluded: "I don't know what was running through my mind other than not hurt anybody. But it's such a nice ceremony and a real honour to be invited I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody."
