Fred Couples on Tiger Woods: 'I love him and things can get better'
· Yahoo Sports
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Freddie Couples is a longtime friend of Tiger Woods. The two former Masters champions very often would partner for practice rounds the week of the season's first major.
Couples accepts he probably won't see Woods "for a few months," but he believes Woods is where he needs to be to receive help after saying he is seeking treatment and prioritizing his well-being.
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"If he's in Switzerland, he must be at a spot that's going to help him and that's the key thing," Couples, 66, said after playing an practice round ahead of the Masters on April 6 with Vijay Singh and Jake Knapp.
"It's a very interesting subject for me," Couples, the one-time Wellington resident, said about his relationship with Woods. "People always ask me about Tiger. When I text him, I always ask about his kids and how he's feeling. I don't ask him about his golf game. I don't ask him about Sunday Red. I don't ask him about anything.
"He always replies and I think he likes that. For me now to get involved with this would not make much sense. Doesn't mean I'm not paying attention, but for me we're completely different people. I have a lot of respect for him, and if I could spend a week with him, I might enjoy that more than he would if that makes any sense. Because being around him is a treat for me."
Woods was arrested March 27 after a two-vehicle crash in Jupiter Island and is facing charges of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He passed a breath test but refused to submit to a urinalysis.
A search of Woods' pocket found two pills revealed to be hydrocodone, a strong opioid painkiller.
The wreck was the second time since 2021 that Woods has been in a crash in which his vehicle rolled over and the second time since 2017 he has been arrested on DUI charges.
Couples was asked what would he tell Woods if could talk to him now.
"I would tell him I love him and things can always get better," he said. "Again, how many, surgeries? Ten or 12 surgeries? I don't know any human being … I used to snap at everyone. Felt like someone was tapping me on the back all day long. After eight to 10 hours, you just can't take it. It's like a toothache.
"This guy has had surgeries. I have a bad back. I've gotten through that since I was 32. But to have surgeries and not know the pain, you know, I didn't know Bill Walton, but saw his "30 for 30" (ESPN documentary) and he wanted to commit suicide. Pain is a rough thing."
Fred Couples talked to Tiger Woods before the Masters
Couples communicated with Woods before the accident but he never asked about the Masters. Woods indicated several times he was hoping to play.
What did Couples say to him?
"I did say, loved watching you play the TGL," Couples said. "That's it. I am not going to say, 'oh, does that mean you're playing Augusta?'
"That would mean buh-bye, I don't need to talk to you much anymore."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Masters 2026: Fred Couples on Tiger Woods' treatment after DUI