By Rory Carroll
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 9 (Reuters) – Golf greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player offered words of encouragement on Thursday to fellow Masters champion Tiger Woods, who is missing this year’s tournament as he seeks treatment following a rollover car accident.
Woods, a five-times Masters champion, withdrew from this year’s tournament following the crash less than two weeks ago when he was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. He entered a plea of not guilty.
“Do whatever you need to do to get back, because I think golf needs him,” Nicklaus said after hitting the ceremonial first tee shot to kick off the 90th Masters at Augusta National. “We’d love to have him back.”
Police footage from the accident scene showed deputies removing two pills from Woods’ pocket, which authorities later confirmed were the painkiller hydrocodone.
Woods told the officers that he has had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg.
“Think of the excruciating pain that this man has been going through for a long time,” Player said.
“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,” he said.
“But I don’t think he should drive a car … I think all he’s got to do is just not drive a car and get a chauffeur,” he added.
“But my heart goes out for him. 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.”
South Africa’s Player also emphasised the historic impact the 50-year-old Woods, who has won 15 major championships, has had on the sport.
“When we were young people, there were no Blacks playing the Tour,” he said.
“I remember going to Charlie Sifford in 1957, and I said, ‘Mr Sifford, how did you play today?’ He said, ‘I’m not allowed to play, I’m Black’.
“So I experienced apartheid in South Africa and in America. Tiger comes along, and you realise what he does for the Black man around the world, you can never work out what he’s done for golf. So my heart goes out for him.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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