Jack Nicklaus hopes to see Tiger Woods back on PGA Tour after DUI arrest, missing Masters: ‘Golf needs him’

PGA legend Jack Nicklaus officially opened the 90th Masters Tournament early Thursday morning at Augusta National by once again participating in the event’s ceremonial first tee shot. After hooking his ball wide left into the neighboring trees, the 86-year-old six-time Masters champion joked about the moment with assembled media.

But it wasn’t long before the lighthearted commentary was replaced with a more poignant discussion about the prominent multiple-time Masters winner not in attendance this week. That would be Tiger Woods.

“Whatever you need to help you and get back, because I think golf needs him, and we’d love to have him back,” Nicklaus told reporters Thursday morning, according to the New York Post, when asked what his message would be to Woods amid his current troubles.

Woods, who ranks second to Nicklaus in all-time PGA majors victories (15 to 18), was originally scheduled to be in Augusta for this year’s Masters but backed out last week. Instead, the 50-year-old Woods is reportedly in Switzerland at a Zurich rehabilitation clinic seeking treatment for an addiction to painkillers following his DUI arrest on March 27 after a rollover crash near his Jupiter Island (Fla.) home.

Woods pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI and property damage during a court hearing last week before leaving the country, and has subsequently been charged with reckless driving as well. He was reportedly found in possession of two hydrocodone pills and showed signs of impairment while appearing “lethargic, slow” with “bloodshot, glassy and ‘extremely dilated’” eyes, according to a police report reviewed by GOLF.com’s Sean Zak and TMZ. He blew a .000 on a breathalyzer at the scene, but later refused a urinalysis test, which led to the arrest.

Fellow PGA legend Gary Player, who was also a part of Thursday morning’s ceremonial tee shot, expressed sympathy for Woods’ current situation. He also acknowledged the five-time Masters champion had erred by driving while taking prescription medication.

“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no,” Player said, according to the Post. “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 added. “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.”