Bubba Watson and Jason Day rally behind Tiger Woods as his latest controversy dominates Masters Tournament conversations (Getty Images)
The Masters week at Augusta National Golf Club has opened under an unusual cloud, and the absence of Tiger Woods is impossible to ignore. The five-time champion is not in the field, yet he remains at the center of conversation after a recent two-car rollover crash and DUI arrest.
Woods, who passed a breathalyzer at the scene but refused a urine test, has pleaded not guilty.
He later confirmed he would step away from golf indefinitely and seek inpatient treatment outside the United States, prioritizing privacy and recovery over a much-anticipated return.
Tiger Woods’ absence looms large as players rally behind him
On a quiet Monday practice round, the mood around Augusta shifted often from competition to concern. Players spoke less about fairways and more about the man who once defined them.
The consensus was clear. Health comes first. Golf can wait.Bubba Watson did not hold back, leaning on years of personal connection with Tiger Woods. His words carried both familiarity and care.“I could care less about Tiger’s golf, I’ve always been in his ear. I told him I wanted to be here for his next major. I was here [at the Masters] in ‘19,” Watson said. “… I told him from day one when we started hanging out in ‘06 or ‘07 that I’m pulling for him as a human being, forget his golf, I could care less about his golf.
Anyone that’s struggling with anything, I feel for him because I’ve went through a lot of mental stuff.
So yeah, I always pull for him. I don’t have his phone number anymore. He blocks me because I make fun of him all the time.“Nothing but love for him, and hopefully he can come back stronger.”
There was a similar tone, though with sharper edges, from Jason Day. He acknowledged the seriousness of Woods’s actions while placing them in a broader human context.“In regards to Tiger, it just shows the human element and the human side of someone that is struggling with some sort of an addiction,” Day said. “He’s not immune to it just because he can hit a golf ball really well. He’s had 25 to 30 something surgeries, and when you’re going through that many procedures, it’s painful coming out of those procedures. I’ve had procedures done and I typically try and stay away from all that stuff because I just know that—painkillers, there can potentially be a downfall to it.“Granted, when I look at that, I look at it and go, he’s just a human being like everyone else and we have struggles. 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. But when you’re the player that he was and how strong-willed he is, he thinks he can do almost anything, and that’s probably why he’s probably driving and a little bit under the influence.
”Day’s connection runs deeper than most. His admiration for Woods shaped his own journey.
“He was my hero—he’s my hero. He was my hero growing up. The reason why I play golf is because of this tournament and Tiger,” Day said. “It’s hard to see him go through what he’s going through, and especially under the microscope that—it must be hard to be who he is and have everything, everyone look on, kind of down on him. 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.”Woods’s presence still lingers here, even in absence. Conversations drift back to him, often quietly, sometimes with worry. This week, more than scores or swings, the focus stays human.
