By Don Riddell, CNN
Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — As you’d expect, much of the conversation around this week’s Masters revolves around the golfers competing at Augusta National for the famed green jacket. But just beneath the surface lies a somber discussion about the most famous man in the sport, who is a long way from here.
“Watching him win around this place in ’97 is kind of the reason I got into golf,” said world No. 20 Harris English this week. “I know he’s going to get through this. He has a big fight ahead of him. He’s a fighter.”
Tiger Woods’ predicament has been highly publicized. Following a car crash in Florida last month, and the subsequent release of numerous police videos showing the aftermath, the world was presented with an unvarnished view of a broken hero.
No longer the dominant figure who won 15 major titles and transcended his sport, he was arrested for driving under the influence after rolling his car in a collision. According to the Martin County report, Deputy Tatiana Levenar observed Woods to be sweating profusely, lethargic and slow. He was also found with multiple hydrocodone pills in his pockets after the crash.
He’s now scheduled for a court appearance in May, and prosecutors are seeking access to his prescription records.
For so long the biggest gravitational pull on the narrative during Masters week, Woods is now conspicuous by his absence.
The golf community has become so conditioned to Woods’ apparently super-human qualities that many just expect him to recover, no matter the magnitude of the challenge,
“He is arguably the king of comebacks,” noted 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm.
CNN has reached out to Woods’ team for comment on the rumors that he’s flown to Switzerland for treatment – Woods said he’d be seeking treatment in a statement days after the crash. His friend Fred Couples alluded to Woods being in Switzerland when he spoke with reporters on Monday, sending him well-wishes.
“What would I tell him? I tell him I love him and things can always get better,” said the 1992 Masters champion.
Couples expressed sympathy for Woods, sharing his own experience with back pain, but for some of Woods’ peers, that sympathy is qualified with a caveat.
“It just shows the human element,” said Jason Day, “Someone that is struggling with some sort of addiction. He’s not immune to it just because he can hit a golf ball really well. 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. But when you’re the player that he was, and how strong-willed he is, he thinks he can do almost anything.”
The three-time champion Gary Player went further.
“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no. He has sleep deprivation. But I don’t think he should drive a car,” Player said. “When you’re taking that medicine, it’s dangerous when you’re driving a