AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Gary Player does not begrudge Tiger Woods for using medications to manage the pain from numerous surgeries over the years, but his fellow Masters champion does believe that the 15-time major winner should not be behind the wheel of a car.
Woods was arrested March 27 on suspicion of driving under the influence after his Land Rover struck a trailer and flipped onto its side along a residential street. Florida authorities determined him to be impaired when they found two painkiller pills in his pocket. Woods also refused to submit to a urine test and was briefly jailed.
“You know,” Player said Thursday, “it’s very easy — the human being is so critical of everything. If I or any of you in this room had the pain that Tiger Woods had — think of the excruciating pain that this man has been going through for a long time.
“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no. He has sleep deprivation,” Player continued. “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 a car.”
The 90-year-old Player spoke about Woods after helping to hit the honorary tee shots to start the first round of the Masters.