Tiger Woods is speaking out about his DUI arrest after refusing a urinalysis test.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods, 50, said in a Tuesday, March 31, statement posted via X. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
He continued, “I’ve committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”
News broke on Friday, March 27, that Woods, was involved in a rollover car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida.
According to Sheriff John Budensiek, who spoke to reporters in a press conference, police arrived on the scene and believed the driver of a Land Rover — later identified as Woods — may be impaired. DUI investigators came to the scene and performed several tests on the athlete.
“Mr. Woods did a breathalyzer test with triple zeros, but when it came time for us to ask for a urine analysis test, he refused, so he’s been charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test,” Budensiek revealed on Friday.
Police said Woods explained previous injuries that he had. (In October 2025, the golfer had surgery that aimed to repair a collapsed lumbar disc.)
While authorities took his information into account, Woods was ultimately sent to jail.
“We know we arrested a high-profile figure… but it doesn’t matter who you are. If you break the law, we’re going to follow the law. It’s a really easy path to take,” Budensiek said in his press conference. “As far as him being in the jail, we’re going to make sure he’s safe. We’re not going to put him in general population. He’s not going to be with other inmates that can hurt him or try to capitalize on what he did. He’ll pay the price, but he’s not going to pay the price by getting punished in jail.”
According to police, Woods’ Land Rover was involved in a crash with a pickup truck pulling a pressure cleaner trailer. The drivers of both vehicles were left uninjured.
Police said Woods was cooperating with authorities during the investigation.
An arrest affidavit obtained by Luxury Handbag Shopping on Tuesday subsequently revealed that Woods allegedly had two hydrocodone pills in his pocket at the time of his arrest. Police also claimed Woods was “lethargic and slow,” and that his eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” with “extremely dilated” pupils.
Woods, meanwhile, claimed in the affidavit that the accident occurred when went to change the radio station in the car and looked down, not realizing the car ahead of him had slowed down.
This isn’t the first time Woods has found himself in an accident. In February 2021, the golfer suffered significant leg injuries in a one-car crash in Southern California.
After the crash, investigators said there was no reason to believe Woods had been operating the vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Instead, the athlete crashed while driving at an “unsafe speed for road conditions,” a police report stated.
In recent months, Woods was taking steps to ensure he could compete with the best in professional golf once again.
“This body, it doesn’t recover like it did when it was 24, 25. It doesn’t mean I’m not trying,” Woods told reporters via the Golf Channel after a golf match in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 24. “I’ve had a couple bad injuries here over the past years that I’ve had to fight through, and it’s taken some time. But I keep trying.”
