Golfer Tiger Woods was arrested in Florida for drunk driving. He refused a urine test after a car accident, leading to a DUI charge. He was arrested in a similar manner in 2017 also.
Florida: Tiger Woods, the uncrowned king of the golf world, is once again in trouble. On Friday, he was arrested for driving under the influence near his home in Florida. His car met with an accident and overturned. Woods, 50, was not injured in the crash, according to officials. The incident took place on a residential road in Jupiter Island, when Woods’ car collided with a truck while trying to overtake it and overturned and came to a halt. Martin County Sheriff John Badenczyk said Woods was showing “signs of intoxication,” although he passed a breathalyzer test. Let us tell you that in 2017 also Woods was arrested on similar charges.
However, Badenczyk said that when he was asked to provide a urine sample, he refused. For this reason, he has been accused of DUI, damage to property and not cooperating in the legal investigation. The sheriff said that drug experts present at the scene believed that the golfer was under the influence of some ‘medication or drug’. However, Badenczyk clarified that under Florida law, Woods had the right to refuse a urine test. “We will never know for sure what he was under the influence of at the time of the accident,” he told reporters.
‘The accident could have been worse’
Sheriff Badenczyk said the incident “could have been much worse”, as neither Woods nor the other driver were injured. He said, “This is a small, two-lane road. If there had been a vehicle coming from the front, we would not be saying today that no one was injured.”
When asked about the speed of Woods’ car, Badenciuk replied, “I can’t tell. But I can say that there is a speed limit of 30 mph. When I show you the pictures, they will speak for themselves… You can see that his car dragged for a long distance before coming to a stop.”
Donald Trump’s statement also came
President Donald Trump expressed sympathy for Woods while speaking to reporters in Miami. “He’s in some trouble, there’s been an accident, and that’s all I know. He’s a very close friend of mine. He’s a wonderful guy, but, uh, he’s in some trouble,” Trump said.
According to Florida’s DUI laws, Woods must spend a minimum of eight hours in a local jail before being released. The incident comes five years after Woods was involved in a 2021 California car crash that left him with serious injuries to his right leg. Woods, a 15-time major winner, had pins inserted in his foot and ankle and a rod inserted in his tibia. He had another surgery in 2023.
Woods bounced back at the 2022 Masters after a disastrous 2021, where he finished tied for 47th despite struggling to make his way through all four rounds at Augusta National. Woods’ clean image was dealt a blow in a 2009 sex scandal that derailed his career. He is trying to recover from a torn Achilles tendon last March and back surgery last October.
He competed in the finals of the TGL Simulator Indoor Golf League this week and has not ruled out playing in next month’s Masters. He has won five times at Augusta, including his first major title in 1997 and his most recent title in 2019. Woods, who has 82 PGA Tour career wins (tied with Sam Snead for the all-time record), has not played at the PGA Tour level since missing the cut at the British Open at Royal Troon in July 2024. He last made the cut at the 2024 Masters, where he finished tied for 60th.