Tiger Woods has announced he is “stepping away” from golf for a “period of time” to seek help and focus on his health, following his car crash arrest over the weekend.
In a statement posted to X, the US golf legend said that he “understands the seriousness of the situation”, adding that he looking to “prioritise” his wellbeing.
Woods was charged with driving under the influence, and released on bail in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 50-year-old had prescription painkillers in his pocket and had been looking down at his phone before crashing into another vehicle, according to a sheriff’s report.
The professional golfer failed several field sobriety tests following the crash in Florida on Friday, the report detailing his arrest showed.
Woods told a sheriff’s deputy he was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station before he crashed, and that he didn’t notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed down.
According to the arrest affidavit (a statement written under oath), two white pills identified as hydrocodone were found in Woods’ trouser pocket during a search after his arrest.
Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain.
Woods told deputies he had consumed no alcohol but said he takes “a few” prescription medications and had taken them earlier that morning.
The golf legend was driving a Land Rover when he clipped a pickup truck pulling a small trailer, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said last week, causing Woods’ SUV to roll onto its side.
“Our DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr Woods did exemplify the signs of impairment,” Budensiek said.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner was charged with driving under the influence, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
Woods was sweating profusely and had slow movements, bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils, a Martin County sheriff’s deputy wrote in the statement.
Due to Woods’ physical limitations — he told deputies he has had seven back surgeries and more than 20 operations on his leg — the tests were conducted while he was seated.
Woods made multiple errors, such as starting exercises before being instructed to do so; not counting steps correctly; and not returning his hand to his side as directed, according to the statement.
The deputy “believed that Woods’ normal faculties were impaired, and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle,” she wrote.
A breath test administered at the Martin County Jail registered 0.000 on both samples, indicating no alcohol was present.
Woods refused to submit to a urine test to determine the presence of chemical or controlled substances.
The circumstances of his arrest bore similarities to his 2017 arrest, after which prescription drugs were found in his system, including hydrocodone.
Whether Woods returns to next month’s Masters Tournament remains in question after the latest in a series of auto incidents dating back to 2009, when he was cited for careless driving.
The 15-time major winner pleaded guilty to reckless driving in 2017 after he was arrested that May on suspicion of DUI.
His 12-month probation was contingent on completing recommended treatment, including DUI school, 50 hours of community service and random drug and alcohol testing.
In 2021, Woods was hospitalised after a serious rollover crash in Los Angeles County that investigators ruled was an accident.
Since then, he has played in 11 tournaments but finished only four.
Asked last week about a return to competitive golf, Woods said he was “trying,” but his “body doesn’t recover like when I was 24/25.”
“I’ve had a couple bad injuries here in the past year,” Woods told reporters after a TGL match. “I’ve had to fight through, it’s taken some time. But I keep trying. I want to play.”
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