Forget the Masters. Forget golf. Tiger Woods needs help | D'Angelo

• Tiger Woods most recent incident marks his second DUI charge since 2017 and his second rollover accident since 2021.
• Woods' focus should be on his two children and his future well-being.

The question now seems so irrelevant. The speculation insignificant. Even inappropriate in light of recent events.

This week was expected to be filled with reports and rumors about Tiger Woods making a grand return at the Masters from his last round of surgeries that included back and Achilles.

Will he be ready? Is he physically able to walk the grueling Augusta National course? Was playing in one TGL match with limited swings enough to convince him?

Now, if Tiger even is thinking about the Masters, his priorities are out of place.

And not only should Tiger not be thinking about the Masters, the Masters should not want Tiger anywhere near Augusta.

Not at the champions dinner. Certainly not swinging a golf club.

If golf is anywhere close to what is important to Tiger this week, he needs more help than we thought.

Because all Tiger Woods should be concerned about now is his life. Getting it back on track. And working harder than he has ever worked in a weight room or on a golf course to make sure it remains there.

Tiger Woods needs to prioritize getting help

And that has nothing to do with how easy or difficult it is for him to swing a golf club after his body has undergone more trauma than most athletes.

Nothing to do with his distance or club head speed.

It has everything to do with his reckless, destructive behavior that, only by the grace of God, has not cost him his life, or anyone else their life.

Tiger now has had two rollover accidents since 2021 and he has been arrested twice on DUI charges since 2017.

The latest was a two-vehicle rollover crash on a two-lane road in Jupiter Island on Friday, March 27, in which Woods was going at a high rate of speed while attempting to pass a truck pulling a trailer. He was uninjured. A Breathalyzer showed he had no alcohol in his system. But after other tests were administered, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Tiger then was held in custody for about eight hours in the Martin County jail before being released on bail.

Woods was charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

Wood's first DUI, which came in May 2017 in Jupiter, should have been a wakeup call. Police found him asleep at the wheel of his damaged 2015 Mercedes-Benz.

A Breathalyzer recorded 0.00 alcohol levels then, too, but a subsequent toxicology report revealed a concoction of prescription medications and other substances in his system.

Woods did not lose his driver's license then. He entered a plea deal in August 2017 to a lesser charge of reckless driving. Two months later, he entered a Palm Beach County first-time offender diversion program.

He took "full responsibility" and then said this:

“I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again.”

He has failed. Miserably. Two rollover accidents, the one in LA in which he was given preferential treatment and never tested for any substances in his system. And the most recent in Jupiter Island.

Now, Woods clearly has a life-altering, perhaps life-saving, decision.

Tiger Woods needs to be thinking about his children

Tiger Woods has always gotten the benefit of the doubt.

He did after the 2009 accident outside his home near Orlando when he crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree before officers found him disoriented, incoherent and in and out of consciousness. The incident led to the biggest scandal in his life with his private life being exposed to the world.

And he did after the two much more serious incidents in Jupiter and LA County.

Tiger works as hard at keeping his personal life private as he does on his putting. He's a control freak, not unusual for high-powered, high-profile celebrities.

And throw in a miraculous comeback or two on the golf course, like winning the 2019 Masters, and all is forgiven.

None of that should happen now.

Unless, and until, Tiger seeks help he is a danger. Even if his high-powered lawyers are able to mitigate this latest incident. Even if he's able to convince some of the people this was nothing more than reckless driving that had nothing to do with anything else. That will not change what we have seen.

Unless Tiger gets help, unless he decides to prioritize everything over golf, and trying to make another comeback, and trying to build on his 82 PGA Tour wins and 15 major championships, this will not end well.

Tiger is just 50. He has a long life ahead of him. If ... And he is not a bad person. He, like millions of Americans, is vulnerable and needs help. And he should not feel any weaker for making that ask.

He is the father of two children, 18-year-old daughter, Sam, and 17-year-old son, Charlie.

Sam attends Stanford University, her father's alma mater. She has an interest in psychology and biology. Charlie recently announced he will attend Florida State University starting in 2027. He is a junior at The Benjamin School.

Tiger may want to think about them — and if he wants to see Sam receive her college diploma, and if he wants to see Charlie play his first collegiate golf match — when deciding his next step.

Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].