Aaron Wise, a former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, announced Friday that he has withdrawn from the 2023 Masters. Wise through social media stated that plans to take time away from the game to focus on his mental health, and as such, will be an omission from the 87th Masters. With his departure, the field now stands at 88 players.
“Regretfully, I am withdrawing from the Masters today,” Wise posted. “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 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.”
The 26-year-old qualified to play at Augusta National through two avenues as he ranked inside the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings both at the end of 2022 as well as the week prior to the Masters.
After experiencing a strong 2021-22 season where he finished T13 at the 2022 Tour Championship and garnered some consideration to join the United States team at the Presidents Cup, the world No. 45 has struggled mightily in 2023. Wise has made just one cut in a full-field stroke-play event: the Honda Classic in February. In his last showing, Wise garnered a 1-2-0 record at the WGC-Dell Match Play and failed to advance out of the group stage.
Wise is not the first player to take a hiatus due to mental health reasons. Matthew Wolff, another young player, took time away from the game in the spring of 2021. Wolff was disqualified from the 2021 Masters when he signed for an incorrect scorecard following his second round and returned three months later at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines where he contended over the week before ultimately finishing T15.