AUGUSTA, Ga. — It’s been 32 years since a Masters was played without both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Woods, in the aftermath of his March 27 crash of his SUV in Florida, is out of the country in a rehabilitation facility to tend to his reported addiction to pain killers.
Mickelson, a three-time Masters winner, is with his family tending to what he described as a family health matter.
Both players’ presence is being felt around Augusta National despite their respective absences — particularly Woods, who wasn’t here last year either, because of his Achilles’ tear at the time.
Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, was set to say a few words in honor of both Woods and Mickelson at the annual Champions dinner Tuesday night, which he was to host as the defending champion.
“So many legends of the game there (at the dinner),’’ McIlroy said Tuesday. “Obviously, there’s two that won’t be with us this year, which is a shame, but hopefully they will be with us in the future, and I’m sure they will be with us in the future.
“I want to make sure that they’re acknowledged. They’ve been two of the greatest champions that the Masters has ever seen.’’
Jason Day succinctly said that “golf misses’’ Woods, adding, “It’s always better when he’s playing golf tournaments because we love having him around. So it’s a little bit sad to not have him here this week.”
Day said Woods’ addiction struggle “just shows the human element and the human side of’’ him.
“He’s not immune to it just because he can hit a golf ball really well,’’ Day said. “He’s had 25 to 30-something surgeries, and when you’re going through that many procedures, it’s painful coming out of those procedures.
“When I look at that, I look at it and go, ‘He’s just a human being like everyone else and we have struggles.’ It’s hard to see him go through what he’s going through, and especially under the microscope. It’s really difficult for me to go through that and watch him.
“I know that he’s getting the help now, which is good. I’m just hoping he comes out on the other side and is better.”
Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters winner, said he “could care less about Tiger’s golf,’’ adding that his health and well-being are more important.
“I’ve always been in his ear, told him that I wanted to be here for his next major,’’ Watson said. “I was here in ’19 (when Woods last won). 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 could care less about his golf.
“Anybody that’s struggling with anything … I feel for him, because I went through a lot of mental stuff. So yeah, I always pull for him. Nothing but love for him, and hopefully he can come back stronger.’’
Fred Couples, a long-time Woods friend, said he believes Woods is “in a place he needs to be,’’ referring to rehab.’’
He said he hasn’t spoken to Woods since the crash, but if he would, “I’d tell him I love him and things can always get better.”
“He’s such a legend in this game, somebody I looked up to,’’ Harris English said. “Watching him win around this place in ’97 is kind of the reason I started getting into golf. I know he’s going to get through this. He has a big fight ahead of him. He’s a fighter. That’s what he does. He’s going to get through it and come out a better man and a better person. We hope to see him soon.”
English called not seeing Woods and Mickelson at Augusta this week “very strange.’’
“First time since ’94, that’s wild. I wish both of them were here. We all do. We wish them well and hopefully we can get them back next year,” he said.
Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters winner, said “everyone is probably in the same boat’’ with their feelings about Woods.
“They’re just very grateful that he’s OK and that everyone else that was involved is OK,’’ Reed said. “Hopefully, he’s able to get a speedy recovery and get back here to golf as fast as he can. Without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the events … when they both step away, I feel it hurts the game of golf. But at the same time, we want them to come back and be healthy and ready to go.’’
Justin Rose said of Woods and Mickelson “both have been obviously titans of the game for the last three decades,’’ adding, “Their stature is way more elevated than that in the game of golf and always will be. It’s always a loss to not have either of them in a field anywhere.’’
Jacob Bridgeman said he believes “everybody has a very soft heart for Tiger,’’ adding, “He’s been the guy for our game that’s changed everything the most. He’s made these tournaments what they are, and he’s made the purses what they are just by his popularity.
“Everybody loved watching him. I grew up watching Tiger. He was my golf idol. I think everybody is thinking about him and hoping he can do what’s best.”
Chris Gotterup, the Little Silver, N.J. native, said his “most vivid memory’’ of the Masters was watching Woods win his fifth green jacket in 2019.
“That’s when I really was kind of into golf big time and was trying to play professionally,’’ Gotterup said. “I remember that vividly and watched the whole thing through. It was obviously an amazing story.”
The most amazing story, of course, would be Woods returning to the Masters in 2027 rehabilitated and ready to play golf again.
