Tiger Woods hoped to play at the 2026 Masters this week, but those plans were thrown into disarray in the wake of his arrest last week for driving under the influence after another car accident in Florida. An arrest affidavit revealed that officers found two hydrocodone pills in Woods’ pocket after the crash, and Wood announced he would “seek treatment and focus on my health.”
His absence will be felt at Augusta National Golf Club beginning Tuesday, April 6, when the annual Masters Champions dinner is held in honor of defending champion Rory McIlroy. Woods won’t be there, McIlroy confirmed. Neither will Phil Mickelson, who is dealing with an ongoing personal health matter.
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McIlroy, who is friends with Woods, alluded to both golfers when speaking about the dinner in an interview with The Golf Channel after taking part in the trophy ceremony at the annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals on Sunday.
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“Unfortunately, there will be a couple of guys that won’t be in that room, which is a shame, but I want to make sure that they’re acknowledged as well,” McIlroy said, according to ESPN. “They’ve been two of the greatest champions that the Masters has ever seen. But it’s going to be a really cool night. I can’t wait. I hope everyone enjoys the dinner and enjoys everything that I’ve selected.”
Woods was reported to have been driving fast on a residential street on Jupiter Island near his home on March 27 when he clipped the back of a pressure-washing trailer behind a truck. His SUV flipped and skidded down the street, and he climbed out of the skyward-facing passenger window.
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Woods pleaded not guilty to DUI with property damage. He blew a 0.00 on two breathalyzer tests but declined to submit to a urinalysis, which triggered a relatively new Florida law under which drivers who refuse a breath or urine test face a second-degree misdemeanor charge, an automatic one-year driver’s license suspension and up to 60 days in jail.
Woods has a long history of back and leg injuries, and hydrocodone is a prescription drug to treat severe, chronic pain. When asked by officers if he had taken prescription drugs before the crash, he replied “I take a few,” the affidavit said.
Officers at the scene conducted multiple sobriety tests and concluded that Woods was impaired.
-Golfweek contributed to this story
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Rory McIlroy said about Tiger Woods, Masters Champions dinner
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