Authorities said Woods showed signs of impairment at the scene, where his SUV struck another vehicle and rolled. He was not injured.
The crash happened just after 2 p.m., not far from where Woods lives. His manager at Excel Sports did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NTD News.
According to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek, Woods was driving northbound on South Beach Road—a two-lane, 30-mile-per-hour stretch of road on Jupiter Island—when he attempted to overtake a pickup truck pulling a pressure cleaner trailer. The truck's driver, seeing Woods' dark-colored Land Rover approaching quickly from behind in his rearview mirror, tried to edge to the side of the road, but the shoulder wasn’t wide enough.
Woods swerved at the last moment to avoid a direct hit, but clipped the rear of the trailer, sending his Land Rover rolling onto its driver's side. The vehicle slid northbound along the road before coming to a stop, leaving a trail of damage visible in photos released by authorities. Woods was able to crawl out through the passenger door. Neither Woods nor the occupants of the other vehicle were injured.
Investigators on scene quickly developed concerns about the 15-time major champion's condition. "Initially, right off the top, it did appear that the driver of the Land Rover might be impaired," Budensiek said at a press briefing.
Drug Recognition Experts—specialists trained to identify impairment—were called to evaluate Woods. Their assessment pointed not to alcohol, but to some form of medication or drug.
Woods submitted to a breathalyzer test, which returned a result of zero. However, when investigators requested a urine test at the jail, he declined.
"He cooperated with the breathalyzer, and then the urine, he wanted no part of," Budensiek said. Under Florida law, refusal to submit to a lawful chemical test is itself a chargeable offense.
Woods was charged with driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test, both misdemeanors.
Florida state law requires those arrested on DUI charges to remain in jail for at least eight hours before they could post bail.
Budensiek said Woods would be held in jail from approximately 3 p.m. He said Woods would not be placed in the general population during his stay.
"It doesn't matter who you are—if you break the law, we're going to follow the law," Budensiek said.
Previous Incidents
In February 2021, his SUV ran off a coastal road in Los Angeles at high speed, leaving him with severe leg and ankle injuries so grave that doctors reportedly considered amputation. Woods has played only 11 tournaments since that crash, and in the four events where he completed all 72 holes, he finished no closer than 16 shots off the lead.Before that, Woods was arrested on a DUI charge in 2017 after south Florida police discovered him asleep at the wheel of a parked car with damage to the driver's side. Woods attributed the episode to a bad combination of prescription painkillers and later pleaded guilty to reckless driving.
Despite the physical toll of the past several years, Woods remained a towering figure in the sport. He won his record-tying 82nd PGA Tour title at the 2019 Masters—his 15th major championship—tying Sam Snead for the all-time wins record. His most recent official tournament appearance came at the 2024 British Open. A ruptured Achilles tendon in March 2025 sidelined him for the entire season, and a seventh back surgery followed in September.
As recently as Tuesday, Woods had participated in his indoor TGL golf league. He had not yet committed to playing in the Masters, scheduled for April 9 to 12, and was also weighing a soft deadline to accept the role of U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2027 matches in Ireland. Woods had previously been offered the captaincy for the last Ryder Cup but did not decline until June; the PGA of America was pushing for a faster decision this time around.