Tiger Woods announced on Tuesday that he is stepping away from the sport to seek treatment following a vehicle crash in Florida that led to his arrest for driving under the influence. This marks the second consecutive year he will miss the Masters.
In a statement shared on social media, Woods emphasized the need to prioritize his well-being and focus on achieving lasting recovery. On the same day, he pleaded not guilty to the DUI charges.
According to a sheriff’s report, deputies discovered two pain pills in Woods’ pocket, and he exhibited signs of impairment after his SUV collided with a trailer and rolled onto its side. The incident occurred just four days prior to his announcement.
Key Factors
It’s the second time Woods has taken a leave following a car crash. That lasted four months and he returned at the Masters. The truck driver and another person helped Woods out of his vehicle through the passenger window. Neither Woods nor the truck driver were injured. During a field sobriety test, deputies noticed Woods limping and that he had a compression sock over his right knee.
The online court docket for Martin County showed Woods entered a written plea of not guilty and planned to waive his April 23 arraignment hearing. In 2009, after his SUV plowed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando, he took a leave of absence to work on being a better person. Woods explained he had undergone seven back surgeries and over 20 surgeries on his right leg, and that his ankle seizes up while walking.
Evidence and Data
Woods’ eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated and he had opioid pills — identified as hydrocodone — on him when interviewed at the scene of the crash, according to the arrest report released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. He was arrested and released on bail eight hours later. He was recovering from a seventh back surgery in October and was trying to return at the Masters, where he is a five-time champion. Woods will not be in Augusta, Georgia, where he was to appear with Masters chairman Fred Ridley to celebrate the opening of a refurbished municipal course that involved Woods, or for the prestigious Masters Club dinner for champions. “Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being. Woods, who has been involved in four crashes over the years, is charged with driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Meanwhile, prosecutors agreed to Duncan’s request for a protective order limiting the release of records only to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, state experts and Woods’ defense team. Woods has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence.
Woods has not played an official event since the 2024 British Open. Woods was traveling at high speeds on a beachside, residential road on Jupiter Island with a 30 mph (nearly 50 kph) when the accident occurred. The truck had $5,000 in damage, according to the report. Woods, 50, is the most influential figure in golf and has become as recognizable as any athlete in the world. The first person of Black heritage to win the Masters in 1997, he has captivated golf fans with records likely never to be broken. But his injuries have kept him from accomplishing more, including those suffered in the 2021 car crash in Los Angeles that damaged his right leg so badly he said doctors considered amputation. Woods was traveling at high speeds on a beachside, residential road on Jupiter Island with a 30 mph (nearly 50 kph) speed limit when his Land Rover caused $5,000 in damage to the truck, according to an incident report.
Woods’ movements were slow and lethargic, he was sweating as he talked to deputies in the back seat of an air-conditioned car and he told them he had taken prescription medication earlier in the morning, according to the report. Woods told deputies he had been looking at his phone and fiddling with the radio moments before he hit the trailer, the report said. “I’m committed to take the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally,” Woods said in his statement. his presence will be felt here in Augusta,” Ridley said in a statement Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week. Woods, who was hiccupping during questioning, continuously moved his head during one of the sobriety tests and deputies had to tell him several times to keep his head straight, the report said. “Based on my observations of Woods, how he performed the exercises and based on my training, knowledge, and experience, I believed that Woods normal faculties were impaired, and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle,” the deputy wrote after the tests. At this latest crash, Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol, but he refused a urine test, authorities said. A sheriff’s office report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket, and he showed signs of impairment after his SUV clipped a truck’s trailer and rolled onto its side. Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol, but refused a urine test, authorities said. Woods has traveled outside of the United States to seek treatment at an inpatient treatment facility, according to court records.
Under a change to Florida law last year, refusing a law enforcement officer’s request to take a breath, blood or urine test became a misdemeanor, even for a first offense.
What It Means
That means a break from more than just golf. He serves a key role on the PGA Tour board by leading its Future Competition Committee reshaping the schedule. “My thoughts are with him and his family as he takes this step, for which he has my full respect and support. Woods’ defense attorney, Douglas Duncan, didn’t respond to an email and phone call after the plea was entered Tuesday.
A tour spokesman said Woods did not take part in Tuesday’s meeting, and the work would continue in his absence. “Over the last year, I have come to deeply appreciate Tiger not only for his impact on the game, but for his friendship and the perspective he has shared with me as I joined the golf industry,” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, who started last summer.
