Tiger Woods’ hopes of playing in the Masters appear slim, but Paul McGinley says he has “bigger challenges” than deciding whether to play at Augusta National after his recent car accident.
The 15-time major champion was jailed on Friday after a collision with a tractor-trailer caused his car to roll over in Florida. He was charged with drunk driving and later released on bail.
Woods walked away from the accident unscathed, but the 50-year-old’s recent high-profile car accident has cast new doubt on his re-appearance at next month’s Masters.
Asked if it was unlikely that Woods would compete at Augusta National, former European Ryder Cup captain McGinley told Sky Sports News: “I would think so. I would say his whole life is in turmoil at the moment.”
“You’d be surprised to see him at the Masters. I think he has a much bigger challenge on his hands than whether he’s currently playing in the Masters or not. It requires a complete rethink of how he lives his life and the challenges he has.”
“He’s obviously coming back from another serious injury – he had another hip surgery last year – and he’s recovering from that and trying to get in shape and get ready for the Masters quickly.
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Check out the best shots of Tiger Woods, who made his return to TGL when Jupiter Links GC lost to Los Angeles Golf Club.
“He was in a TGL game that week, but this was the first time we saw him in a game, even though it was an indoor game.
“His speed was just there. The speed at which he swung the golf club was unbelievable. And even though he was walking with a little bit of a limp because of a serious car accident he had a few years ago, he looked like he was on his way to playing.”
“But I think this is going to really frustrate him.”
Despite the setback, McGinley didn’t rule out the possibility that Woods, a “competitive animal,” would return to professional golf in some capacity.
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Here’s what we know about the case involving Tiger Woods, who was charged with DUI and released on bail after being involved in a car accident in Florida.
“I’m not going to ignore it (Woods playing again),” McGinley added. “He has a heart as big as a lion, he loves to play golf, he loves to compete and he’s 50 years old now so he gets to play senior golf.
“He might not want to play in the typical tournaments on the senior tour, but a major like he has in the past would really excite him. And he could definitely compete on the main tour in a kart, which would help with the leg injury.”
“So I don’t think we’ve seen the end of him as a competitive player yet. He’s a competitive animal by nature, and once he deals with the issues he’s having right now, stabilizes his life, and explores new avenues, I think golf will definitely be a part of that.”
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Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir shares details after Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with drink-driving after his car crashed in Florida.
When will Woods make his Masters decision?
Woods is listed as a past champion in the Masters berth, and there is no deadline to commit to this year’s contest, and there is still time to determine if he is physically fit to return.
He used the 2022 contest as a comeback from his previous injury, less than 14 months after sustaining severe foot and ankle injuries in a car accident, and fought his way to a 47th-place finish after scoring back-to-back weekends in the 78 range.
Woods withdrew before the final day of the 2023 tournament, which was won by Jon Rahm, but fell to the bottom of the leaderboard after the cold weather worsened plantar fasciitis in his foot, making it difficult for him to walk.
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Andrew Coltart talks about how Tiger Woods’ car accident will affect his chances of playing in the Masters
He had a record 24 consecutive cuts in the 2024 tournament, but carded the worst round of his major career with a third-round 82, finishing last among the players who won the weekend.
Woods missed the win over Rory McIlroy last year due to an Achilles injury and then missed the entire major season.
His five Masters wins came in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2019, one win shy of Jack Nicklaus’ record of six at Augusta National.
Who will win the Masters? Watch the opening round of this year’s Major live on Sky Sports Golf from April 9th to 12th. Get and stream Sky Sports without a contract.
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