Golf icon Tiger Woods has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence following a rollover crash near his home in Jupiter Island, Florida.
Authorities said the incident happened on Friday when the vehicle Woods was driving struck a truck while attempting to overtake it on a narrow residential road before flipping over. Neither Woods nor the other driver sustained injuries.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek told reporters that officers at the scene observed signs suggesting impairment. Although Woods reportedly passed a breath test for alcohol, he declined to provide a urine sample when requested by law enforcement. Under Florida law, refusal to submit to such testing can still lead to a DUI charge.
Budensiek said drug recognition experts at the scene suspected the impairment may have been linked to medication or another substance, but noted that the refusal of the urine test means investigators may never determine exactly what caused the impairment.
The sheriff described the crash as potentially far more serious, pointing out that the road’s two-lane layout could have led to a head-on collision if another vehicle had been approaching.
Woods, 50, previously faced a similar legal issue in 2017, when he was arrested for DUI in a case later linked to prescription medication.
Reacting to the development, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed sympathy, describing Woods as a close friend going through a difficult period.
The incident comes five years after Woods survived a serious car crash in California that left him with severe injuries to his right leg and required multiple surgeries. He made a return to professional golf at the Augusta National Golf Club in 2022 despite mobility challenges.
Woods, a 15-time major champion and joint record holder for PGA Tour victories, has recently been recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture and back surgery. He had competed earlier in the week in the TGL indoor golf league finals and had not ruled out playing in next month’s Masters Tournament.
Under Florida DUI regulations, Woods is expected to remain in custody for a minimum holding period before being released.
