Temperatures could climb as high as 24C (75F) today and will be well above the average for this time of year in most parts of the country. Western parts of Wales are forecast to get the best of the weather, eclipsing the peak of 20.9C (70F) recorded in Worcestershire last week. Tomorrow is expected to be even warmer, but temperatures are expected to plunge to 10C to 13C (50F to 55F) as we head into Thursday. Check the weather forecast where you are All of this is a stark contrast to the Easter weekend, when Storm Dave's 70mph winds caused widespread damage and disruption. Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said the weather is "unusually warm" as average temperatures should normally be about 15C (59F) in early April. He added: "The wind is coming in from a southerly direction, and with not many clouds around, it should be well above the early April average. "The last time we saw similar temperatures this time of year was in 2020, when we reached 26C (78.8F) in Cornwall." Hayfever sufferers might not welcome the warmer weather with open arms, as a "very high" red pollen warning is in place across England and Wales. A particularly high tree pollen count is expected nationwide, exacerbated by light winds. Looking ahead to the rest of the week, a Met Office spokesperson explained: "It's all purely down to the wind direction at this time of year. "For the next couple of days we're dragging in that warm, southerly wind, which will allow us to see temperatures reach the mid-20s. "As we go into Thursday, we'll see temperatures return to normal for the time of year as we see the weather turn more changeable with advances of rain and showers." Over the weekend, temperatures are set to hover at about 10C (50F) in the North, and 14C (57F) in the South.

The US star, who now calls himself Ye, has written a letter in which he says he must "show change" - an update to an apology he made in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year. It follows the huge backlash to Wireless Festival announcing him as headliner for the event in London in July. Several sponsors have pulled out and there have been calls for the government to deny West entry to the UK. The rapper, 48, has not performed in the UK since his headline slot at Glastonbury in 2015. In the years since then, he has drawn criticism for antisemitic posts on social media, a Super Bowl advert directing people to a swastika T-shirt, and a song referencing Hitler. "I've been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly," the rapper said. "My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music. "I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren't enough - I've have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here. With Love." After days of mounting pressure, Wireless promoter Festival Republic defended the planned performance in a statement issued on Monday evening. Managing director Melvin Benn described West's previous comments as "abhorrent" but asked "people to reflect ... and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do". West's music is also played on commercial radio stations and available to stream "without comment or vitriol from anyone", Mr Benn also pointed out, adding: "He has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country." 'Too blind to see dangers of decision' On Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the latest politician to criticise the decision, telling Sky News Wireless organisers are "too blind" to see the dangers of their decision. Asked if West should be allowed into the UK to peform, he replied: "That's a decision for the Home Office and I'm not going to prejudice their decision about this case. "What I would say is that Kanye West has no business headlining the Wireless Festival. I think organisers showed a terrible error of judgement in inviting him. "These weren't a couple of off colour remarks. These were, I think, a pattern of behaviour." Mr Streeting said antisemitism and "hatred" against Jewish people in the UK has been rising. "We've seen it manifesting itself not just through online behaviour, verbal abuse, but through physical attacks, including in Heaton Park in Manchester, where people died at the hands of that attack. We saw it more recently with an attack on a charity in north London, a Jewish charity that runs an ambulance service. "Antisemitism is serious, it can be deadly and people like Kanye West, who have an enormous platform, fame, reach, they have to accept the responsibility that comes with that. And I don't think he has. I'm only too disappointed the festival organisers are too blind to see it." Read more from Sky News:E-bike and e-scooter fires hit record highWhat we know about F-15 pilot rescued in Iran It is understood permission for West to come into the country is currently being reviewed by the Home Office. Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has backed calls for the government to prevent West from entering the UK and other Jewish groups have also criticised Festival Republic's support for the star. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said Mr Benn's statement would not "reassure many within the Jewish or other communities against whom Kanye West's invective was directed over a much longer period than his more recent apology". He added: "It is time for Wireless to do the decent thing and rescind an invitation they never should have offered. Kanye West may well be on the path to health and healing. We sincerely hope that he is. But the space to test this is not over three days on the Wireless main stage." When he issued his letter apologising in January, West blamed his behaviour on his bipolar-1 disorder, something he said resulted from a car accident 25 years ago. "I lost touch with reality," he said. "Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret." Wireless announced West as its headliner last week, with the rapper set to top the bill for all three nights of the event. Sponsors including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo pulled out over the Easter bank holiday weekend - and Sir Keir Starmer described the booking as "deeply concerning". Additionally PayPal, which is a payment partner for the festival, will not appear in any of its future promotional materials, Sky News understands.

Launched in 2023, the alerts warn people of a danger to life in their area. Testing has seen mobile phones play siren-like sounds with messages displaying on screens. Now, research from the PA news agency has uncovered when the alerts were almost sent for real. The most notable of these was the Southport riots in the summer of 2024. Widespread unrest erupted following the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July of that year. After the killings, and following online rumours that the perpetrator was a small boat migrant, violent rioting broke out in several locations. Mosques, community centres, libraries and hotels housing asylum seekers were all targeted. A recent government analysis found the situation was "largely instigated" by far-right groups. British-born Axel Rudakubana later admitted to the murders. According to the information obtained by PA through a Freedom of Information request, the situations "represent 'near misses' where the Cabinet Office has considered the use of the Emergency Alerts capability, which was ultimately stood down". Another time, the government considered sending every phone in the UK a message was earlier in 2026. It was thought debris from the Chinese Zhuque-3 space rocket could land on Britain after re-entering the atmosphere. This was wide of the mark, as the wreckage ended up hitting the water more than 1,000 miles south of New Zealand, near the Antarctic. The government said they considered the alert "due to the size of the debris, which was larger than usual". Back in May 2024, an outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidium contaminated tens of thousands of people's drinking water in Devon, with some left requiring hospital treatment. The government considered using the emergency alert to tell residents to boil water before using it. Read more from Sky News:At least eight dead in Afghanistan-Pakistan earthquakeWorld's tallest building hit by lightning In September 2025, there were concerns that the Kilroot gas power station in Northern Ireland might have to be shut off as it was nearing its yearly running limit. Having been told power shortages might be on the cards, the Cabinet Office looked into warning people via their mobiles - but decided against it. Alerts were also considered for severe weather during Storm Babet in 2025, and during rain and wind in Scotland and the North East of England in 2023. A government spokesperson said: "As the public rightly expects, the government actively considers how to respond to a wide range of potential events. "The emergency alerts system is a vital public safety tool designed to be used sparingly. Its activation threshold is very high and strictly reserved for threats to life."

Ever since Ben Hogan invited all past Masters champions to dine together ahead of his title defence in 1952, the "Masters Club" - aka the "Champions Dinner" - has become an annual tradition at Augusta National. Other than tournaments co-founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts being included as honorary members for early editions, only past winners of the Green Jacket and the current Masters chairman have since been allowed to attend the event each year. Rory McIlroy's Grand Slam success: Essential readingWhen are the majors and key events in 2026?The Masters: Latest news ahead of AugustaGet Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract The Champions Dinner is held on the Tuesday of Masters week and will feature McIlroy for the first time, following him defeating Justin Rose in a play-off 12 months ago to end his elusive wait for a fifth major title. As well as being the only player over the past year allowed to take their Green Jacket outside the gates of Augusta National, McIlroy's privilege as reigning champion includes setting the menu - and the drinks list on offer - for those past champions able to attend this year's Champions Dinner. "I'll just be incredibly grateful that I'm a part of it," McIlroy said on Sunday. "I want to share that with everyone in the room. It is the most exclusive dinner club in all of sport and I think we should all feel very fortunate that we are there. "We're there because of the hard work and the good play that we've been able to produce." Who attends the Champions Dinner? Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will both be absent from this year's edition, with Woods unavailable after 'stepping away' from golf - following last month's car crash - and Mickelson missing due to a 'personal health matter' in his family. "Unfortunately, there'll be a couple of guys that won't be in that room, which is a shame," Mcllroy added. "I want to make sure that they're acknowledged as well - they've been two of the greatest champions that The Masters has ever seen." All living past Masters champions are welcome, even if they no longer compete in the tournament itself, with multiple major winners Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson among those who traditionally attend. "The thing that I really is number one, they make the effort to come back because of how much it means to them, and number two, for those couple of hours, you see the kid come out of them again," former Masters champion Trevor Immelman told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. Subscribe now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Spreaker "You can see how much they enjoy being there, how much they enjoy reminiscing about their experiences at The Masters when they won. Sometimes they even talk about when they lost down the stretch or when they felt like they let one get away - there's so many great nuggets! "To see these legends of the game, in their minds, roll back the clock and be like a little eight-year-old on Christmas morning - that excitement, that twinkle in the eye. At some point, I'll lean back in my chair and go, 'this is really something special'." Who sits where for the Champions Dinner? Immelman added: "When you're defending champion like Rory [McIlroy] is this year, he'll sit up at the end of the table, next to the chairman [Fred Ridley] and Ben Crenshaw. "Ben MCs and has done for many years. After that, there's no assigned seating but everyone just kind of knows their spot. From 2010 onward, I just gravitated down to the opposite end of the table. "The whole evening is just so tremendous from start to finish. It just goes by in a blink of an eye and you always leave there thinking, 'gosh, I could have sat here for two more hours'. "You have a blast with all of these legends that I've looked up to my whole life and tried to emulate in some way my whole life. It's just the absolute best." What is on McIlroy's menu for the Champions Dinner? McIlroy revealed his Champions Dinner menu last month, with a spread of dishes and wines - from a variety of regions and eras - all offering different significance to him. The bacon-wrapped dates among the appetisers are inspired by a dish made by McIlroy's mother Rosie, while the yellowfin tuna carpaccio first course is a dish selected due to it being served in his and wife Erica' favourite New York restaurant. Among the sides to accompany the mains of wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon is 'traditional Irish Champ', a dish McIlroy used to eat 'by the bowlful' as a kid, with the wine he drank the night he won The Masters - the 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild - among the drinks on offer. "Everybody who's spent time around Rory [McIlroy] knows that he is a foodie and he loves great red wine," Immelman explained. "All the other champions were waiting to see what he would roll out for us and we knew it would be super special. "We see this every year, but I really do appreciate how everything, every dish, every wine that he chose has some sort of meaning and story behind that. It just adds a little extra layer to it and makes an incredible evening even more special." What have others served for the Champions Dinner? Scottie Scheffler's Champions Dinner the previous year included "Scottie-Style" cheeseburger sliders, and "Papa Scheff's Meatball and Ravioli Bites", with the latter a nod to how he picked up a hand injury that saw him miss the start of the 2025 season. Jon Rahm offered a Spanish feast including 'Mama Rahm's classic lentil stew' and 'Basque ribeye' when he served his 2024 menu, while Woods served up a starter of 'The Augusta Roll' ahead of steak and chicken fajitas when he last hosted the Champions Dinner in 2020. "A Sunday roast [Danny Willett] and Texas BBQ [Jordan Spieth] among the other mains chosen for past menus, while Bubba Watson's selection ahead of his 2013 title defence was previously likened to a McDonald's Happy Meal by three-time winner Sir Nick Faldo. "Oh, it was Bubba [Watson], wasn't, when we had Chuck E Cheese," Faldo said ahead of the 2024 edition of The Masters. "When we had a little hamburger and our little corn and our little ice cream … we had a milkshake as well. So yeah, that was a lot." Who pays for the Champions Dinner? The average price of three of McIlroy's four wine choices each average in excess of $1,000 (£760) a bottle, with the cost of hosting the meal - including all drinks - falling to the defending champion. "He [McIlroy] is so happy to be there that he doesn't give a damn what anybody says," said Sky Sports' Butch Harmon, Tiger Woods' former coach and son of 1948 champion Claude Harmon. "He'll have his Green Jacket on. I've seen his menu - it looks pretty good to me. The wine he serves, which I'm sure he will try and impress people with a high-dollar wine, can get pretty pricey. "We could ask anybody who's never won The Masters, 'would you like to win the Masters if it's going to be a hell of a big bill for dinner?' They would say, 'please bring it on, give me the cheque!'." McIlroy had 16 unsuccessful attempts at winning The Masters before eventually securing the Green Jacket. Now, he can enjoy his role as host ahead of having a seat for life at the Champions Dinner. "It's going to be a really cool night," McIlroy added. "I can't wait. I hope everyone enjoys the dinner and enjoys everything that I've selected. Hopefully we won't stay too long. "I'll be maybe not as fresh on Wednesday morning, but on Thursday I'll be ready to go." Who will win The Masters? Watch the opening major of the year exclusively live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the first round begins on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

A new voting system and an electorate hungry for change means for the first time in Wales, polls suggest voters no longer want Labour in power. But a new and clear pattern is emerging in the polls. Once dominant, Labour is now fighting for third with the Greens, while Plaid Cymru and Reform UK compete for first place. The most recent ITV YouGov poll speaks to this trend: Plaid Cymru is in first place with 33% - securing an estimated 43 seats, six short of a majority. Reform UK follows on 27%, with Welsh Labour down to 13%. If polling is accurate, Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth could be Wales's first non-Labour First Minister. The Welsh Labour red rose superseded by the Plaid Cymru daffodil. But the polls do not indicate an overall majority for Plaid Cymru. No party has ever secured one in Cardiff Bay since devolution, and the new voting system makes that outcome even less likely this time. Mr ap Iorwerth previously told Sky News he would run a minority government. Plaid Cymru sources told Sky News the party has sought advice from the SNP after they took over government from Scottish Labour in 2007. Unless Plaid secures a majority, which is unlikely, the party will need to rely on support from opposition parties to get its ambitions into law. Could the Green Party be Plaid Cymru's secret weapon? The polls indicate that. The recent Green bounce, fuelled by Zack Polanski, means the party, led by Anthony Slaughter in Wales, could be on track for 10 seats in the Senedd. Mr Slaughter told Sky News "the polls suggest we will hold the balance of power in the Senedd after the election". If that happens, it would be a big moment, since the Greens have never had a seat in the Welsh Parliament before. The surge of the Greens could provide a lifeline to Plaid Cymru, which wants to distance itself from Labour and previous co-operation agreements under Labour-led minority governments in Cardiff. Read more:Elections 2026: What's devolved in each UK nation and English region? There's common ground between the Greens and Plaid. They are both left leaning, pro EU, pro Welsh independence, and both have by-election wins. Plaid in Caerphilly, the Greens in Gorton and Denton - both chipping away at Labour and claiming victory from Labour over Reform. But sticking points could be around Plaid's decision to abandon its 2035 net zero pledges, which could be a red line for the Greens, who are also seeking advice from Scottish counterparts. As one Green Wales Party source put it: "When the SNP started watering things down, the Scottish Greens walked away from government. It's not about getting a seat at the table for us, it's about delivering real change." Eluned Morgan, the sixth consecutive Labour First Minister of Wales, told Sky News she does not accept they are going to lose in May. However, recent YouGov polling suggests the Baroness may not even secure a seat at next month's election. Despite the first minister's defiance, some within Labour's ranks are far less optimistic than their leader. One party that is optimistic is Reform UK, led in Wales by Dan Thomas. Reform is confident they can win the popular vote in May, pledging to scrap the controversial default 20mph limit in urban areas and focusing on immigration. Reform is clearly cutting through in Wales. Recent polls put Reform on 27% with about 30 seats, 19 short of a majority. With the Conservatives projected to win just one seat and other parties ruling out a coalition, Mr Thomas's path to first minister based on polling looks tricky. The party, however, appears poised to replace the Conservatives as the official opposition, a development likely to please them as Nigel Farage has signalled his ambition for Reform UK to "put an end" to the Tories. Dr Jac Larner of the Wales Governance Centre told Sky News the new voting system makes things harder for mid-sized parties. He said: "Each of the 16 constituencies returns six members, allocated in successive rounds - meaning the final seats in each constituency are typically decided by very small margins. That makes seat projections genuinely uncertain, especially for mid-sized parties whose fortunes depend on winning those last, tightest places. "A swing of just a couple of percentage points can trigger a cascade of gains or losses across the country." He added: "For Labour and the Conservatives, that uncertainty cuts particularly sharply: the difference between a bad night and a truly catastrophic one may come down to no more than two or three points in vote share." With a new voting system being used in Wales for the first time, everything is still up for grabs on 7 May. But if recent polling is anything to go by, one thing seems inevitable: the era of two-party dominance in Wales looks to be ending, and its aftershocks could soon ripple down the M4.

"Here we go, ready or not," Ms Guthrie said as the show opened. "Let's do the news." After running through a series of news headlines, Ms Guthrie said, "we are so glad that you started our week with us and it's good to be home". Her co-host, Craig Melvin said, "it's good to have you back at home". She greeted long-running co-worker Al Roker with "Good morning, Sunshine", when he said it was good to see her on the set. At the end of the first 25-minute section of the show, she offered Mr Melvin a high-five. Ms Guthrie became overwhelmed by emotions before the last half hour, when she joined colleagues in front of fans gathered at the show's Rockefeller Center studio. She fought back tears when one fan was seen with a "Welcome home Savannah" shirt, and grabbed hold of colleague Jenna Bush Hager's arm, thanking people for their support. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on 31 January and was reported missing the following day. Officials say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but deadlines for paying have passed. Read more from Sky News:Hiker fighting for his life after bee attackSponsors withdraw from festival after Kanye booking Authorities believe she was kidnapped or abducted. During the investigation, the FBI released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night. Today co-anchor Ms Guthrie, 54, has acknowledged she's a changed person since her mother's disappearance and that it's difficult to press ahead without knowing what happened to her. Despite a search that involved thousands of federal and local officers and volunteers, there has been no sign of the mother-of-three since she went missing. In a video message released by her New York church on Easter Sunday, Ms Guthrie said she felt "moments of deep disappointment with God, the feeling of utter abandonment". But she said the resurrection is not fully celebrated "if we do not acknowledge the feelings of loss, pain, and yes, death". "Perhaps this is too dark a message to share on Easter morning, but I have long believed that we miss out on fully celebrating resurrection if we do not acknowledge the feelings of loss, pain and, yes, death," she said. "It is the darkness that makes this morning's light so magnificent, so blindingly beautiful." In her closing message, she said: "I see a bright vision of the day when heaven and Earth pass away because they are one, on Earth as it is in heaven. "When we celebrate today, this is what we celebrate, and I celebrate, too. I still believe. And so I say with conviction, 'Happy Easter.'" Ms Guthrie, one of US morning television's most recognisable faces, has been a co-anchor on Today since 2012. There had been a great deal of speculation about whether she would return to the show. Nancy Guthrie made occasional appearances on Today over the years, once taking part in a cooking demonstration and surprising her daughter on set. When Savannah Guthrie returned to her hometown of Tucson last year for a segment recorded for the show, the pair attended one of their favourite restaurants and talked about their love of Arizona. The Guthrie family has offered a $1m (£754,000) reward for information leading to the return of their mother. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department both said late last week that they had no updates. Early on, some media outlets reported receiving ransom messages linked to the case. Ms Guthrie said she and her siblings responded to two they believed to be real and offered to pay. Ms Guthrie said her celebrity status might be the reason her mother was taken, but that possibility was "too much to bear".

A new voting system and an electorate hungry for change means for the first time in Wales, polls suggest voters no longer want Labour in power. But a new and clear pattern is emerging in the polls. Once dominant, Labour is now fighting for third with the Greens, while Plaid Cymru and Reform UK compete for first place. The most recent ITV YouGov poll speaks to this trend: Plaid Cymru is in first place with 33% - securing an estimated 43 seats, six short of a majority. Reform UK follows on 27%, with Welsh Labour down to 13%. If polling is accurate, Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth could be Wales's first non-Labour First Minister. The Welsh Labour red rose superseded by the Plaid Cymru daffodil. But the polls do not indicate an overall majority for Plaid Cymru. No party has ever secured one in Cardiff Bay since devolution, and the new voting system makes that outcome even less likely this time. Mr ap Iorwerth previously told Sky News he would run a minority government. Plaid Cymru sources told Sky News the party has sought advice from the SNP after they took over government from Scottish Labour in 2007. Unless Plaid secures a majority, which is unlikely, the party will need to rely on support from opposition parties to get its ambitions into law. Could the Green Party be Plaid Cymru's secret weapon? The polls indicate that. The recent Green bounce, fuelled by Zack Polanski, means the party, led by Anthony Slaughter in Wales, could be on track for 10 seats in the Senedd. Mr Slaughter told Sky News "the polls suggest we will hold the balance of power in the Senedd after the election". If that happens, it would be a big moment, since the Greens have never had a seat in the Welsh Parliament before. The surge of the Greens could provide a lifeline to Plaid Cymru, which wants to distance itself from Labour and previous co-operation agreements under Labour-led minority governments in Cardiff. Read more:Elections 2026: What's devolved in each UK nation and English region? There's common ground between the Greens and Plaid. They are both left leaning, pro EU, pro Welsh independence, and both have by-election wins. Plaid in Caerphilly, the Greens in Gorton and Denton - both chipping away at Labour and claiming victory from Labour over Reform. But sticking points could be around Plaid's decision to abandon its 2035 net zero pledges, which could be a red line for the Greens, who are also seeking advice from Scottish counterparts. As one Green Wales Party source put it: "When the SNP started watering things down, the Scottish Greens walked away from government. It's not about getting a seat at the table for us, it's about delivering real change." Eluned Morgan, the sixth consecutive Labour First Minister of Wales, told Sky News she does not accept they are going to lose in May. However, recent YouGov polling suggests the Baroness may not even secure a seat at next month's election. Despite the first minister's defiance, some within Labour's ranks are far less optimistic than their leader. One party that is optimistic is Reform UK, led in Wales by Dan Thomas. Reform is confident they can win the popular vote in May, pledging to scrap the controversial default 20mph limit in urban areas and focusing on immigration. Reform is clearly cutting through in Wales. Recent polls put Reform on 27% with about 30 seats, 19 short of a majority. With the Conservatives projected to win just one seat and other parties ruling out a coalition, Mr Thomas's path to first minister based on polling looks tricky. The party, however, appears poised to replace the Conservatives as the official opposition, a development likely to please them as Nigel Farage has signalled his ambition for Reform UK to "put an end" to the Tories. Dr Jac Larner of the Wales Governance Centre told Sky News the new voting system makes things harder for mid-sized parties. He said: "Each of the 16 constituencies returns six members, allocated in successive rounds - meaning the final seats in each constituency are typically decided by very small margins. That makes seat projections genuinely uncertain, especially for mid-sized parties whose fortunes depend on winning those last, tightest places. "A swing of just a couple of percentage points can trigger a cascade of gains or losses across the country." He added: "For Labour and the Conservatives, that uncertainty cuts particularly sharply: the difference between a bad night and a truly catastrophic one may come down to no more than two or three points in vote share." With a new voting system being used in Wales for the first time, everything is still up for grabs on 7 May. But if recent polling is anything to go by, one thing seems inevitable: the era of two-party dominance in Wales looks to be ending, and its aftershocks could soon ripple down the M4.

Woods was working towards making another competitive comeback, having undergone multiple back surgeries and an operation on his Achilles since last featuring in a major in July 2024, when he was involved in a car crash on March 27. The former world No 1 entered a not guilty plea after being charged with driving under the influence (DUI), taking the case to a jury trial, then announced his decision to be "stepping away" from golf for a "period of time" to seek treatment and focus on his health. The Masters LIVE! Latest build-up and headlinesWhen is The Masters live on Sky? Key TV timesWho has qualified for The Masters? Full 2026 fieldGet Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract The PGA Tour and Masters chairman Fred Ridley were among those to send messages of support to Woods, who is now missing the opening major of the year for a second successive year, while former Jason Day admitted that it's "difficult" to see his "hero" go through struggles. "He's not immune to it [struggles] just because he can hit a golf ball really well," Day said in his pre-tournament press conference. "He's had 25 to 30-something surgeries. When you're going through that many procedures, it's painful coming out of those procedures. "He's my hero. He was my hero growing up. The reason why I play golf is because of this tournament and Tiger. It's hard to see him go through what he's going through - especially under the microscope. It must be hard to be who he is and have everything, everyone look on, kind of down on him. "Some people want him to fail. Some people obviously want him to succeed. It's really difficult for me to go through that and watch him, and I know that he's getting the help now, which is good. I'm just hoping he comes out on the other side and is better." Day added: "People out here do support him and want him to kind of get through this. It must be tough to be isolated the way he is normally. He stays at home pretty much most of the time, doesn't really get out too much just because of how popular he is as a person. "When you're at home, it's just difficult. Sometimes you don't have people around, loving people around enough to be able to steer you in the direction that you need to. "He's human and we all make mistakes - that's just part of learning and getting better. I'm hoping that he gets the help that he needs and that he comes out stronger and better on the other side because golf misses him." Woods joins Mickelson in missing The Masters This year's tournament marks the first time since 1994 that both Woods and Phil Mickelson are missing from The Masters, with the latter withdrawing due to a 'personal health matter' in his family. "Everyone is probably in the same boat, that they're just very grateful that he [Woods] is okay and that everyone else that was involved is okay," 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed explained. "Hopefully he's able to get a speedy recovery and get back here to golf as fast as he can. "Let's be honest, without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the events, when they both step away, honestly I feel it hurts the game of golf. At the same time, we want them to come back and be healthy and ready to go." Former world No 1 Justin Rose added: "They [Mickelson and Woods] have both been obviously titans of the game for the last three decades. Clearly in a tournament like this, if you're a past champion, you get an opportunity to come back. "Whether they're 1,000 or 500 in the world or whatever current rankings may be, their stature is way more elevated than that in the game of golf and always will be. It's always a loss to not have either of them in a field anywhere." 'We hope to see him soon' - PGA Tour hoping for Tiger's return Woods has only played in 11 official tournaments since the end of November 2020 and completed 72 holes in just four of them, most recently when he finished last of those who made the cut at The Masters in 2024. The 50-year-old has suffered multiple injury and life setbacks during his career and has set no target over his next possible comeback, something many on the PGA Tour player hopes to see happen. "He's such a legend in this game, somebody I looked up to," Harris English said about Woods. "Watching him win around this place in 1997 is kind of the reason I started getting into golf. "I know he's going to get through this. He has a big fight ahead of him. He's a fighter. That's what he does. He's going to get through it and come out a better man and a better person. We hope to see him soon." Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson added: "I couldn't care less about his [Woods'] golf. Anybody that's struggling with anything, I feel for him because I've gone through a lot of mental stuff. So yeah, I always pull for him. "Nothing but love for him, and hopefully he can come back stronger." Who will win The Masters? Watch the opening major of the year exclusively live from April 9-12 on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the first round begins on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.