Jason Day surprised yesterday, during a ‘flash’ interview after his Monday practice round at the Augusta National, referring to Tiger Woods and what happened a few days ago when he suffered a road accident that saw him held in custody for several hours. The Australian golfer, who dreams of winning tournaments again despite the physical problems that have held him back in recent years, didn’t hold back when speaking about the Californian, even though he trusts in his recovery and that he may be competing again soon
“Regarding Tiger, his situation shows the human side of someone who is fighting an addiction. He is not immune to it just because he hits a golf ball very well. He has been through about 25 or 30 operations, and coming out of so many procedures is painful. I have had operations and I try to stay away from medications because I know painkillers can be a dangerous trap”, began Day
“I see him simply as a human being, like anyone else, who has his own struggles. It’s a shame. The only thing I don’t understand is that it was a bit selfish of him to drive and put other people at risk. But being the player he was and having that strong will, he thinks he can do almost anything, and that’s probably why he was driving under the influence. He was my hero while I was growing up; the reason I play golf is for this tournament and for Tiger”, he added
For the Australian, it is not pleasant to see the man who was once the master of world golf go through this situation: “It’s difficult to see him go through this, especially under so much scrutiny. It must be complicated to be who he is and have everyone judge you; some people want you to fail and others want you to succeed. For me it’s really difficult. I know he is now receiving help, which is good. I hope he manages to get through this and comes out better”
And to finish, he said: “I think the most important thing is to ensure that the friendship remains and that he knows people here support him and want him to get through this. It’s difficult. I’ve never dealt with an addiction, beyond golf, but it must be hard to be as isolated as he tends to be. He spends almost all the time at home because of his popularity, and being shut in is complicated. Sometimes you don’t have enough loved ones around to guide you in the right direction. As I said before, he is human and we all make mistakes; that’s part of learning and improving. I hope he gets the help he needs and comes out stronger, because golf misses him. We miss him here this week; it’s always better when he takes part in tournaments because we love having him nearby. It’s sad that he’s not here”
