Masters 2023: Aaron Wise pulls OUT to focus on his mental health

Former PGA Tour rookie of the year Aaron Wise has withdrawn from next week’s Masters to focus on his mental health.

The 26-year-old American has competed in the Masters once before, finishing solo 17th in 2019, and earned a spot in this year’s field at Augusta National by ending 2022 inside the top 50 of the world rankings.

‘Regretfully I am withdrawing from The Masters today,’ Wise wrote on Instagram on Friday.

‘Golf is just as much a mental game as it is one of physical skill, and the mental piece of it has been a struggle for me recently.

‘I don’t take the significance of playing at Augusta lightly, but I know that I need to take some time away to focus on my mental health so I can get back to competing at a level I am proud of.

American Aaron Wise has withdrawn from next week’s Masters to focus on his mental health

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion after coming out on top at Augusta in 2022 

‘This hurts but it’s needed. See you all soon.’

World No. 45 Wise most recently competed at last week’s Match Play event in Austin where he went 1-2 in group play and failed to reach the knockout rounds. 

He has one top-10 finish and four missed cuts in 11 PGA Tour starts this season.

Wise was PGA Tour rookie of the year in 2018 after four top 10 finishes in 29 starts — including a win at the AT&T Byron Nelson — and reached the season-ending Tour Championship.

The first golf major of the year gets underway on Thursday and 15-time major winner Tiger Woods is set to feature.

He was included in the pre-tournament press conference schedule on Friday. 

Woods has made it clear that his competitive career will now be limited to a handful of events a year, a legacy of the car crash in February 2021 which left him fearing his right leg would have to be amputated. 

The first golf major of the year gets underway on Thursday and Tiger Woods is set to feature