Four days after the rollover crash in Florida, Tiger Woods said he is stepping away from golf, and more, to seek treatment and focus on his health.
The legendary golfer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He will miss the Masters for the second straight year.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in Today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health,” Woods said in social media posts. ”This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
He said he is committed to taking the time needed to return in a “healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally”.
This is the second time Woods has taken a leave following a . In 2009, he took a leave of absence to work on being a better person. That lasted four months, and he returned at the Masters.
Tiger Woods to take a break from the PGA Tour board
According to the Associated Press, is “stepping down” from more than just golf.
Woods serves a key role on the PGA Tour board by leading its Future Competition Committee, reshaping the schedule. But he did not take part in Tuesday’s meeting, AP quoted a PGA Tour spokesman as saying.
“My thoughts are with him and his family as he takes this step, for which he has my full respect and support,” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp.
Woods has not played an official event since the 2024 British Open. He was recovering from a seventh back surgery in October and was trying to return at the Masters, where he is a five-time champion.
Woods will not be in Augusta, Georgia, where he was to appear with Masters chairman Fred Ridley to celebrate the opening of a refurbished municipal course that involved Woods, or for the prestigious Masters Club dinner for champions.
Tiger Woods pleaded not guilty
Tiger Woods pleaded not guilty in his case in Florida on Tuesday.
However, the Sheriff’s report for hours earlier said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket, and he showed signs of impairment after his SUV clipped a trailer and rolled over on its side.
The AP report said the online court docket for Martin County showed that Woods entered a written plea of not guilty and planned to waive his April 23 arraignment.
Toger Woods showed signs of impairment
Tiger Woods’ eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated and he had opioid pills, identified as hydrocodone, on him when interviewed at the scene of the crash, according to the arrest report released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Woods’ movements were slow and lethargic, he was sweating as he talked to deputies in the back seat of an air-conditioned car and he told them he had taken prescription medication earlier in the morning, according to the report.
Woods told deputies he had been looking at his phone and fiddling with the radio moments before he hit the trailer, the report said.
Tiger Woods failed sobriety test
During a field sobriety test, according to an AP report, deputies noticed Woods limping and his compression sock over his right knee.
Woods reportedly explained that he had undergone seven back surgeries and over 20 surgeries on his right leg, and that his ankle seizes up while walking.
The report also claimed that Woods, who was hiccupping during questioning, continuously moved his head during one of the sobriety tests. The deputies, as per the report, had to tell him several times to keep his head straight.
“Based on my observations of Woods, how he performed the exercises and based on my training, knowledge, and experience, I believed that Woods normal faculties were impaired, and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle,” the deputy wrote after the tests.
(With AP inputs)
