On Friday afternoon, we examine the key questions after Tiger Woods’ car accident in Florida.
What do we know about car accidents?
Just before 2pm local time on Friday afternoon, Woods’ car collided with a truck and overturned on Jupiter Island, Florida, but the 15-time major champion crawled out of the passenger door and walked away unharmed.
There were no injuries in the incident.
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Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed that Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
Sheriff John Budensiek said the crash occurred after Woods appeared to be attempting to pass a tractor-trailer traveling in front of him at a “high rate of speed.”
The car tipped sideways and “slided a considerable distance before coming to a stop.”
Police officers described Mr Wood as “lethargic” and believed he had a “medication disorder”.
Woods stands next to his overturned car.
A breathalyzer test at the scene yielded a negative result, but he refused to submit a urine sample.
Budensiek added that police at the scene and at the prison had “no suspicion that alcohol was involved.”
This is Woods’ fourth car or vehicle accident since 2009, and he was lucky not to lose his life in his previous accident in 2021.
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US President Donald Trump says he feels “very sick” after hearing about Woods’ accident
What crime was Woods charged with?
A 50-year-old man was arrested and charged with drunk driving.
He was also charged with criminal damage to property and refusing to submit to a legal inspection.
He spent eight hours in a Florida jail before being released on bail.
Woods arrested for DUI and released from Martin County Jail
What does this mean for Woods’ Masters hopes?
After playing in the TGL final at Jupiter Links on Tuesday night, his first action since teeing off at the same tournament 13 months ago, Woods said he was “working hard” to get in a position to compete in the season’s first men’s major, the Masters, starting April 9 at Augusta National.
“(My body) hasn’t recovered like it did when I was 24, 25 years old. It’s not like I’m not trying. I’ve been trying for a while. I want to play. I love tournaments. I’ve loved being there since I was 19. It’s meant a lot to me and my family over the years,” Woods said.
“I don’t know (if I’m going to play). We’ll see. I’m going to practice this week, play at home and keep trying to progress.”
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Check out the best shots of Tiger, who made his comeback during Jupiter Links GC’s loss to Los Angeles Golf Club in the TGL finals.
Jamie Weir of Sky Sports News had doubts about Tiger playing in the Masters, saying: “I think he already had the odds. He’s 50 now and we haven’t seen him on a golf course since the British Open in July 2024.”
“He took his first meaningful swing at TGL on Tuesday night, which gave me the idea that maybe we’d see him tee off at Augusta National.
“But I still think that’s probably extremely unlikely given his zero competitive experience.”
Will Woods suffer “reputational damage” from this accident?
Weir added on Sky Sports News: “I think the biggest impact is the reputational damage. I thought it was all behind him, but this is very embarrassing.”
“He will be charged with driving under the influence, being held in a Florida jail for eight hours, and refusing to submit to a urine test.
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Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir considers the ‘reputational damage’ Woods could suffer from further car crashes
“This is the third time he has been involved in a car accident and this one reminds me of 2017.
“People will probably say, ‘Tiger, now I have enough money in the bank to hire a driver to take me from place to place.’
“Shouldn’t we be putting ourselves, other road users and other pedestrians at risk every time we get behind the wheel of a car?”
What other car accidents did Woods have?
In 2009, Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant, a tree and a hedge outside his home, which led to him confessing to a serial affair.
His seven-year marriage ended and he lost many sponsorship contracts.
Then, in 2017, just weeks after his spinal surgery, Woods was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after he was found asleep at the wheel of a car in Jupiter.
He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, but it was later discovered that he had five different prescription drugs in his system at the time.
Woods has had four car accidents since 2009.
Woods’ most serious accident occurred in February 2021, after he lost control of his car at high speed on a winding road in Los Angeles and overturned. Fire crews had to use a “jaw of life” cutting device to remove him from the wreckage.
Woods was lucky to be alive, but suffered extensive injuries to his feet and ankles that hinder him to this day. He has undergone multiple surgeries.
Tiger hasn’t played competitive golf in 15 months since the accident and has continued a limited schedule, most recently playing in a tournament at the 2024 British Open Championship.
In the past five years, he has only completed four 72-hole tournaments and played in only 11 official events during that time.
