Golf great Jack Nicklaus is concerned embattled star Tiger Woods may not be able to play golf again, just two months after the 41-year-old underwent spinal fusion surgery.
Woods was on Monday arrested in Jupiter, Florida on a charge of driving under the influence after police found the injured 14-time major champion asleep at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz at 3am.
After undergoing an anterior lumbar interbody fusion in April - Woods' fourth career operation on his back - he was expected to sit out the remainder of the year.
Woods said on Monday an unexpected reaction to legal drugs led to his DUI arrest and that "alcohol was not involved". His claim was supported by two breath tests showing Woods' blood alcohol content to be zero, according to a police report.
But Nicklaus acknowledged Woods's surgery will be tough to come back from.
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"I don't know what's going to happen after (his) fusion surgery. Fusion is hard to play golf after; it's a very difficult situation. But I'm not a doctor," said Nicklaus.
"I think that he's struggling. I wish him well. I hope he gets out of it and I hope he plays golf again."
Woods spent 15 months between 2015 and 2016 on the sidelines suffering nerve pain in his back before returning to the US PGA Tour in December at the Hero World Challenge.
He then pegged it up at the Farmers Insurance Open in January, where he missed the cut, before shooting a first-round 77 and withdrawing from the Dubai Desert Classic in February.
The 77-year-old Nicklaus conceded Woods's hyped goal of chasing down his record 18 major championships may be insurmountable.
"Tiger, I always thought, was going to break my record. Do I think he probably won't now? I don't know what's going to happen," said Nicklaus.
But the 73-time PGA Tour winner offered his sympathies to the under-siege Woods.
"I feel bad for Tiger; (he) is a friend. He's been great for the game of golf and I think he needs all our help. (I) wish him well," said Nicklaus.
