Nicklaus: Tiger Woods will have a hard time returning to golf

According to Jack Nicklaus, the odds of Tiger Woods returning to the course as a professional golfer are not good.

Woods has struggled with a series of back injuries and has been stuck at 14 major victories since 2008, while the 41-year-old is receiving professional help to manage his medications after his arrest and DUI charge.

Speaking from his charity event – the Creighton Farms Invitational – Nicklaus said Woods’ problems have very little to do with the game.

“He’ll have a very hard time. I don’t know whether Tiger will play much golf anymore,” the 18-time major winner said, via USA Today.

“He might come back and play — I think it’d be pretty tough for him, after getting fused, and as many problems as he’s had recently… His problems are more life problems than they are golf problems right now.”

The gravity of Woods’ situation showed when the CEO of the Tiger Woods Foundation said the American would not be at this week’s Quicken Loans National — a charity event for the organisation.

Nicklaus, who rarely misses his own golf charity event, noticed that, as well.

“Tiger’s a good kid, he cares about people, and we’ll just see what happens,” Nicklaus said. “I hope he gets his life straightened out with the problems he’s had and be able to lead a normal life, but also use what he has done and his legacy to help a lot of kids and a lot of other people.”

Woods was arrested May 29 on suspicion of DUI after he was found asleep behind the wheel of his car.

There was no alcohol in his system, but there was a mix of prescription drugs in him.