Tiger Woods had his driver’s licence suspended for five years on Wednesday after reaching a plea agreement in a case stemming from a in March.
The 50-year-old golf superstar pleaded no contest to lesser charges of careless and reckless driving, while the more serious was dropped under the agreement.
During a brief livestreamed hearing at the Martin County Courthouse in Stuart, Florida, Judge Darren Steele warned about the consequences of driving during the suspension.
“If you were to drive for any reason at all you would go immediately back to jail,” Steele told Woods.
Tiger Woods Florida crash
Woods was involved in a road accident on March 27 near his home on Jupiter Island, Florida. His SUV clipped a truck pulling a trailer and overturned while he was attempting to pass on a residential road.
Authorities determined that Woods had not been drinking alcohol but said he appeared to be impaired. Investigators found two pills containing hydrocodone, an opioid painkiller, in his possession.
initially pleaded not guilty to charges of DUI with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test. He told authorities that he had been looking at his phone and changing radio channels when the crash occurred.
He was subsequently jailed and .
DUI charge dropped under plea agreement
The DUI allegation was ultimately dropped as part of the plea agreement, with Woods agreeing to plead no contest to the lesser driving charges.
The case comes after a series of serious health issues for the 15-time major champion. Woods has undergone multiple back operations and suffered severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash in California.
Following the March accident, Woods said he was “stepping away” to seek treatment and focus on his health. He later travelled outside the United States for treatment at an inpatient facility, reportedly in Switzerland.
Woods returns to public spotlight
Woods made his first public appearance since his at the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship in June, where he introduced PGA Tour Chief Executive Brian Rolapp.
Rolapp announced a new competitive structure for the PGA Tour that is scheduled to take effect in 2028.
