Common Enemies: Michael Phelps Answers Tiger Woods’ ‘Cry For Help’

Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps have a lot more in common besides being at the pinnacle of each of their sports for a long period of time. From afar, Phelps has witnessed Woods go through turmoil this summer which started with a Memorial Day DUI…something that Phelps is familiar with.

The 23-time Olympic gold medalist has been arrested twice for DUI. His last run-in was 2014 and shortly after he was admitted to a treatment center for eight weeks to combat his growing anxiety and depression. Unlike Woods, Phelps was arrested for his addiction to alcohol.

“I don’t know,” Phelps said in 2014. “I honestly don’t know. I know I have probably moments where I have gone off the deep end where I shouldn’t. And, and — I would say binged more than anything else.”

Now back in 2014, Phelps called his second DUI a ‘cry for help’, and that is exactly what he saw from Woods in May of this year.

“I feel like that’s a massive scream for help,” Phelps said to The New York Times’ Karen Crouse. He said he reached out to Woods after the arrest to try and help in any way he could.

A mutual friend of both athletes, Notah Begay III, chimed in saying:

“Michael can provide honest and direct feedback, and that’s what athletes of their caliber need the most.”

This isn’t the first time Phelps has reached out to his fellow professional athletes in the golf world. Just couple months ago he added his thoughts on Jordan Spieth winning the PGA Championship to become the youngest player ever to complete the career Grand Slam.

Unfortunately, the Wanamaker trophy went to Spieth’s good friend Justin Thomas after a spectacular final round.

"We do a good job of having fun and letting loose"

Best friends @JordanSpieth and @JustinThomas34 talk to CNN Sport https://t.co/jeOkaMKlcn pic.twitter.com/UsGVAJvAA5

— CNN Sport (@cnnsport) September 21, 2017

One would have to speculate that Woods will see Phelps at the President’s Cup later on this month since Woods will be coaching and Phelps is a golf enthusiast who has attended several events this year.

Dr. gave me the ok to start pitching pic.twitter.com/tboq1L3Xdn

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) August 31, 2017