Tiger Woods says he will step away from golf and seek treatment after DUI charge

Tiger Woods said he will step away from golf to seek treatment and focus on his health after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence after a rollover crash near his Florida home.

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said in a statement posted on X. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”

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“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”

Related: Tiger Woods’ latest brush with the law leaves questions why golf remains so beholden to him | Ewan Murray

Woods pleaded not guilty to DUI and demanded a jury trial after the crash on a residential road near his Jupiter Island home, according to court records released on Tuesday.

A probable cause affidavit obtained earlier Tuesday by the Guardian stated that Woods told deputies he was looking down at his phone and changing the radio station before the incident.

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The 50-year-old golf star was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test on Friday afternoon after his Land Rover clipped a truck and rolled on to its side.

According to the affidavit, Woods told Martin County sheriff’s investigators that he did not notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed down before the crash.

The affidavit states that Woods attempted to pass the vehicle by crossing over a double yellow line into oncoming traffic before striking it with the front right side of his SUV, causing him to lose control and flip on to the driver’s side.

Deputies said Woods was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was unable to exit from the driver’s side due to the rollover, instead climbing out through the front passenger side. The driver of the other vehicle, identified as Jeremy Bullard, reported no injuries. The report estimated the incident caused roughly $5,000 in damage to the trailer.

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According to the affidavit, a deputy at the scene observed “several signs of impairment” while speaking with Woods, including profuse sweating and sluggish movement. Another officer noted that Woods’s eyes appeared “bloodshot and glassy” and that his speech and movements were “lethargic and slow”.

Woods told investigators he had not consumed alcohol, but said he had taken “a few” prescription medications earlier in the day, including Vicodin, as well as medication for blood pressure and cholesterol.

Officers conducted a series of field sobriety exercises, during which Woods showed multiple signs of impairment, according to the report. Additionally, Woods advised that he had undergone seven back surgeries and more than 20 operations on his leg, adding that his ankle can seize while walking.

Deputies said he had difficulty maintaining balance, failed to follow instructions and struggled with coordination tasks. Based on those observations, an officer determined that Woods was unable to safely operate a motor vehicle and placed him under arrest at 3.12pm.

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A search following his arrest uncovered two pills in Woods’s pocket that were later identified as hydrocodone, a prescription opioid, according to the affidavit.

Woods later submitted to a breath test, which showed no alcohol in his system, but he refused to provide a urine sample to test for drugs. Authorities said he was charged with refusal to submit to testing in addition to DUI with property damage.

He was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance before being transported to the Martin County jail, where he declined medical treatment and was held for the mandatory eight hours under Florida law before he could post $1,150 bail.

Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s spoken with Woods since the incident, noting the golfer “lives a life of pain” due to his injury history but is “doing great”. Woods has been in a relationship with Trump’s former daughter-in-law, Vanessa Trump, for more than a year.

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“He tested negative for alcohol, as you know, and he is under a tremendous physical pressure from his various ailments, you know, the back and the leg,” Trump said in a phone interview with the New York Post. “He lives a life of pain. He has a lot of pain. He’s an amazing guy. He’s an amazing athlete. He does have pain.”

Trump added: “He doesn’t have an alcohol problem, but he does have pain.”

Woods, who had been scheduled to appear for arraignment on 23 April in Martin County court, will no longer have to appear in person for that initial hearing after his attorney, Douglas Duncan, filed a waiver of arraignment and demand for a jury trial.

The case is due back in court on 5 May for a docket sounding, a routine pre-trial hearing to assess readiness for trial.

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Woods has played a limited schedule in recent years while working his way back from multiple injuries, including a ruptured achilles tendon. He has not competed in an official PGA Tour event since July 2024, though he appeared last Tuesday in the TGL indoor league he co-founded with Rory McIlroy.

Prior to last week’s crash, Woods was on the entry list for this year’s US Senior Open but had not committed to playing, while his availability for next month’s Masters at Augusta National Golf Club remained uncertain.