Golf legend Gary Player, talking on the Masters on Thursday, known as on Tiger Woods to “get a chauffeur” after his DUI arrest final month.
Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and 90-year-old South African Player struck the ceremonial opening tee photographs at Augusta National.
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Woods, a 15-time main winner, pleaded not responsible after being arrested following a automotive crash close to his dwelling in Florida.
Police discovered him with two prescription painkiller drugs.
“Just (wishing you) whatever you need to help you and get back, because I think golf needs him and we’d love to have him back,” mentioned Nicklaus, winner of a report 18 majors, when requested if he had a message for Woods.
Taking a break from golf, 50-year-old Woods has gone to Europe for therapy for his well being and well-being, altering plans to not less than seem this week in Augusta.
Asked about his recommendation for Woods, Player mentioned he wants to keep away from getting behind a steering wheel due to his want for painkillers.
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“Think of the excruciating pain that this man has been going through for a long time,” Player mentioned of Woods. “Many operations on his leg and his back, so he’s in pain.
“Do I blame him for taking medication? Hell, no. He has sleep deprivation. Do I blame him for taking one thing to assist him sleep? No. But I do not assume he ought to drive a automotive.
“When you’re taking that medicine, it’s dangerous when you’re driving a car… I think all he’s got to do is just not drive a car and get a chauffeur.”
Player, just like the Masters and PGA Tour, supported Woods in his struggle to recuperate.
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“My heart goes out for him,” mentioned Player. “There’s nothing worse than living in pain every day of your life.
“You cannot consider something worse. I simply hope he can get all of it sorted out as a result of he is such an asset to golf and has accomplished a lot for the sport.”
Defending champion Rory McIlroy is going for a rare Masters repeat, a back-to-back feat managed only by Woods, Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.
“Rory has obtained the monkey off his again and I feel he has a superb probability to repeat,” Nicklaus said.
Nicklaus, 86, won six of his record 18 major titles at the Masters while Player captured three of his nine majors at Augusta National and Watson, 76, took two Masters titles and five British Opens among his eight major wins.
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Nicklaus captured his last major title 40 years ago at Augusta at age 46.
“It was a good means to end a profession,” Nicklaus said. “I could not have been extra thrilled.”
– Life ban for LIV jump –
Watson said he would issue life bans to former PGA Tour players who jumped to Saudi-backed LIV Golf rather than welcome back five-time major winner Brooks Koepka as the tour has or 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed, who seeks a comeback.
“I believed the LIV gamers, after they left, had been supposed to be banned for all times. If I used to be commissioner, that is what I’d do,” Watson said.
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“I’d say in case you’re completed together with your contract with LIV Golf, if you need to play the PGA Tour once more, you come again, and you need to play the (developmental) Korn Ferry Tour for a 12 months to qualify for it.”
Watson said LIV defections hit PGA event sponsors deeply.
“When the gamers left, they violated the primary rule that we actually had out right here, which is to shield the sponsors,” he said. “Sponsors want gamers. They want the names to give you the option to promote their tournaments.
“They chose to go for the money, which is fine, but to return to the tour, I thought, was a non-starter, but apparently it’s not.”
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