Tiger Woods was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence after his Land Rover clipped a truck and rolled onto its driver’s side on a quiet stretch of road in Jupiter Island, Florida. The 50-year-old golf legend, who holds 82 PGA Tour titles and 15 major championships, was not injured in the crash and crawled out of the vehicle through the passenger side, according to NPR.
The incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. ET on March 27, 2026, on a two-lane road with a 30 mph speed limit. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods had attempted to pass a pressure cleaner truck when his Land Rover clipped the vehicle and flipped, as ESPN reported. The driver of the truck told officials he saw Woods’ SUV approaching at high speed as he was turning into a driveway, according to NBC News.
Authorities could not determine exactly how fast Woods was traveling at the time of the crash. However, Sheriff Budensiek described the golfer as showing clear signs of impairment, calling him lethargic and saying investigators believe he had taken some kind of medication or drug, as HuffPost reported.
A breathalyzer test administered at the scene registered triple zeros, showing no signs of alcohol in Woods’ system, according to CNN. Woods subsequently refused to submit to a urine test. He was charged with DUI, property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
Woods was booked at the Martin County Jail in Stuart at approximately 3 p.m. and released on bail about eight hours later — the minimum time allowed under Florida state law, according to Al Jazeera.
The arrest marks a troubling echo of Woods’ past. In May 2017, police in nearby Jupiter, Florida, found him asleep behind the wheel of his running car. He was arrested for DUI on that occasion as well, later saying he had taken a bad mix of painkillers. Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving following that incident.
Woods has endured a punishing series of physical setbacks in recent years. He was seriously injured in a rollover crash in Los Angeles in February 2021, suffering multiple leg and ankle injuries so severe that doctors considered amputation. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in March 2025, which kept him off the golf course for the entire season. Then, in September 2025, he underwent his seventh back surgery, according to CBS News.
Despite those challenges, Woods had remained active in the sport. His last official tournament was the British Open in 2024. Just days before Friday’s arrest, he played in his indoor TGL — Tomorrow’s Golf League — match on Tuesday night, where his team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, lost to the Los Angeles Golf Club in the finals.
The timing of the arrest could not be worse for Woods’ competitive ambitions. He had been deciding whether he was fit enough to play the Masters, which starts April 9, 2026. He was also scheduled to be in Augusta, Georgia, on April 5 to unveil a golf course project with Masters chairman Fred Ridley. Meanwhile, Woods was reportedly approaching a soft deadline to decide whether to serve as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2027 matches in Ireland.
Woods’ career achievements remain staggering. He won the 2019 Masters for his 15th major championship in what many considered one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, returning from multiple back surgeries. His 82 PGA Tour titles are tied with Sam Snead for the all-time career record.
U.S. President Donald Trump, asked about Woods upon landing in Miami for a summit on Friday afternoon, said he felt badly for the golfer and called him a very close friend, according to CBC News.
Woods has not publicly commented on the arrest. The charges he faces — particularly the refusal to submit to testing — could carry significant legal consequences under Florida law. For now, the golfing world waits to learn what substance investigators believe was involved and what comes next for one of the most celebrated athletes of his generation.
