Tiger Woods Authorities said he showed signs of impairment and was arrested Friday at the scene of a car accident in which he struck another vehicle and totaled his Land Rover.
Martin County Sheriff John Budencik said Woods was not injured. He was able to crawl out of the passenger side of his vehicle. Budenciak said he was believed to be impaired by medication and was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
The crash happened just after 2 p.m., where Woods lives on Jupiter Island. Budenciak said Woods attempted to pass a pressure cleaner truck while driving on a two-lane road. As he was passing the truck, the Land Rover swerved to avoid the collision, but collided with the rear of the truck’s trailer. After this, Woods’ car rolled on its driver’s side.
Budencik said investigators at the scene found Woods showing signs of impairment. He underwent a breathalyzer test, which came back negative, but he refused to undergo a urine test. Budencik said authorities charged him with driving under the influence with destruction of property and refusing a valid test. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Woods’ manager at Excel Sports did not immediately respond to a text message seeking information.
Woods, 50, has spent the past several months recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon and another back surgery in October. The 15-time major champion competed for the first time in more than a year during Tuesday’s TGL Finals, where his Jupiter Links GC team lost to Los Angeles Golf Club.
He was considering whether to return to the PGA Tour at the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, the first major tournament of the season starting April 9.
Woods last competed on the PGA Tour in July 2024, when he missed the cut at the Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. He last played four rounds in a PGA Tour event at the 2024 Masters.
In February 2021, Woods suffered serious leg injuries in a car accident outside Los Angeles in which his SUV rolled several times and he was trapped in the car. He later had surgery to deal with an “open fracture” in his lower right leg, had a rod inserted in his tibia and had screws and pins placed in his foot and ankle during emergency surgery. Woods remained hospitalized for three weeks after the surgery.
“I’m lucky to be alive and to still have a limb,” Woods said at the 2021 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He said it was 50-50 whether part of his right leg could be amputated.
He had at least one more surgery related to injuries sustained from the accident in April 2023.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
