Masters champion 'couldn't care less' about Tiger Woods after car crash and arrest
Tiger Woods is not playing in this week's Masters tournament following his recent car crash.
Bubba Watson has stated he "couldn't care less" about Tiger Woods' golfing career, asserting that his main concern is seeing the 15-time major winner in good health and high spirits. Woods is notably missing from this week's Masters tournament following a driving under the influence charge resulting from a car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida, last month. He is also facing charges of property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
Martin County officers suspected Woods of being impaired when they arrived at the crash scene, where no injuries were reported. Although a breathalyzer test returned zeroes, clearing him of alcohol consumption, Woods declined to provide a urine sample to screen for other substances. He has entered a plea of not guilty and announced he would be stepping back from golf to "seek treatment" and prioritise his wellbeing. A court hearing for Woods has been scheduled for next month.
Following the crash, strong pain medication was found in Woods' possession, believed to be for managing discomfort stemming from back and Achilles surgeries in 2025, as well as the lasting effects of a high-speed collision in 2021.
Before the incident, Woods had been pushing himself hard in an effort to demonstrate his fitness ahead of the Masters, which tees off on Thursday.
Watson, a two-time Masters champion, was approached at Augusta National on Monday and asked about his close friend's difficulties, and his response was telling.
"I couldn't care less about Tiger's golf," Watson said. "I've always been in his ear. I told him that I wanted to be here for his next major.
"I was here in '19. We were in the champions' locker and I made a lot of the champions come down to congratulate him. That was very emotional.
"I told him from day one that we started hanging out back in '06, '07, somewhere in there, that I'm pulling for him as a human being, forget his golf, I couldn't care less about his golf.
"Anybody that's struggling with anything, I feel for him because I've been 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.
"But yes, when we were on the Ryder Cup captaincy together, he told me how much that meant that I was here in '19 after he won.
"He was very appreciative that I was here, and I told him I'd be here for the majors. Nothing but love for him, and hopefully he can come back stronger."
Woods is not the only modern great missing from this week's Masters.
Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the tournament owing to a family health issue, which also forced him to miss the opening four events of the LIV Golf season.
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