Tiger Woods, involved yesterday in a traffic accident with a rollover but without injuries, was released at around 23:00 (Florida time) on Friday, after spending eight hours in custody, the legal minimum, and posting bail. The Californian had been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) after testing negative in breathalyser tests, but refusing to provide a urine sample.
El Range Rover que conducía el ganador de 15 majors circulaba por Beach Road, en Jupiter Island, cuando intentó adelantar a una furgoneta con remolque que trataba de girar. El coche de Tiger golpeó la parte trasera del remolque y volcó, avanzando varios metros por la carretera. El golfista pudo salir del vehículo, que quedó tumbado hacia el lado del conductor, por la puerta del acompañante.
🚨🐅📸 #PHOTO — Tiger Woods was seen leaving jail this evening after getting picked up in an Escalade.
(Photo: Christopher Oquendo) pic.twitter.com/nf4KqzOYKa
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) March 28, 2026
The accident took place near number 281 of Beach Road, about six kilometres north of Woods‘s residence. The player was uninjured, but in the officers’ view he “showed signs of being under the influence of some substance”. Sheriff John Budensiek explained that the “DUI investigators attended the scene and Mr Woods showed signs of being under the influence of some substance”.
The officers did not suspect alcohol use, but rather medication or drugs. Woods subsequently underwent a breathalyser test which returned a result of 0.00. But at the scene of the accident, Woods was described as “lethargic” and tried to explain the injuries and operations he has undergone in recent months. After several roadside tests, he was arrested and charged with DUI causing property damage and with refusing to submit to a legal test. Both charges are misdemeanours, but as required by law, he was taken to the Martin County jail, where he refused a urine test.
“Cooperó con la prueba de alcoholemia, pero no quiso saber nada del análisis de orina”, explicó el sheriff. “Colaboró, pero no intentaba incriminarse”, añadió Budensiek. “Fue cuidadoso con lo que decía y lo que no”, detalló. De acuerdo con la legislación de Florida, Woods debía permanecer detenido al menos ocho horas tras su arresto. Fue puesto en libertad alrededor de las 23:00 hora local.
Neither Woods nor the van driver were injured, and officers did not find any medication in the golfer’s vehicle. Woods was travelling alone and exited the car before the authorities arrived. The sheriff’s office could not specify the exact speed at which Tiger was travelling, but, given the limit in the area is 30 miles per hour and the car suffered significant damage, it is considered to have been high.
“We know we have arrested a very well-known figure,” stated Budensiek. “But it doesn’t matter who you are. If you break the law, the law applies,” he asserted. However, the sheriff added that Woods would be protected during his time in custody. “We will ensure he is safe. He will not be in the general population nor with other inmates who might harm him or take advantage of the situation. He will face the consequences, but he will not be punished inside the jail,” he explained.
Budensiek stressed that, fortunately, there were no vehicles travelling in the opposite direction at the time of the accident. “If someone had been coming the other way, we would not be talking about an accident with no injuries. It could have been much worse,” he warned.
Tiger had recently returned to competition on the indoor TGL circuit, playing on Tuesday with his team Jupiter Links Golf Club. It was his first competitive appearance since the Open Championship in 2024, after suffering an Achilles tendon rupture in March 2025 and undergoing another back operation in October.
Before the accident, the big question surrounding Woods was his possible participation in next April’s Masters, something he had not yet confirmed. Donald Trump, President of the United States, had said that Tiger would be in Augusta, but would not compete in the Masters. Last night, after learning of the golfer’s accident, he said: “I’m terribly sorry. He’s having some difficulties. There was an accident and that’s all I know. He’s a very close friend. He’s an incredible person, an incredible man. But he has some difficulties.”
