Tiger Woods Q&A: What we know about car crash and 15-time major champion's hopes of playing at The Masters

We look at the key questions following Tiger Woods’ car crash in Florida on Friday afternoon.

What do we know about the car crash?

Woods’ vehicle rolled over after clipping a truck on Jupiter Island in Florida just before 2pm local time on Friday afternoon, with the 15-time major champion walking away unhurt after crawling out of the passenger door.

No one was injured in the incident.

Sheriff John Budensiek said the crash occurred after Woods apparently attempted to overtake the trailer in front at a “high rate of speed”.

The vehicle tipped on to its side and then “slid for a pretty decent space before he came to a stop.”

Wood was described as “lethargic” by officers with police believing he was “impaired on medication”.

He took a breathalyser test at scene returned a negative finding but refused to submit a urine sample.

Budensiek added that police at the scene and at the jail were “really not suspicious of alcohol being involved”.

This was Woods’ fourth car crash or vehicle incident since 2009, with a previous one in 2021 lucky not to cost him his life.

What has Woods been charged with?

The 50-year-old was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

There were also further charges of property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

He spent eight hours in a Florida jail before being released on bail.

What does this mean for Woods’ Masters hopes?

After playing in the TGL finals for Jupiter Links on Tuesday night – his first action since teeing it up in the same competition 13 months earlier – Woods said he was “trying” to get himself in a position to play at The Masters, the first men’s major of the season, at Augusta National from April 9.

Woods said: “[My body] doesn’t recover like it did when it was 24, 25. It doesn’t mean I’m not trying. I’ve been trying for a while. I want to play. I love the tournament. I’ve loved being there since I was 19 years old. It’s meant a lot to me and my family over the years.

“I don’t know [if I’ll play]. We’ll see how it goes. I’ll be practising, playing at home this week and keep trying to make progress.”

Sky Sports News’ Jamie Weir doubts Tiger will take part in The Masters, saying: “I think the odds were already stacked against him. He is 50 years of age now and we haven’t seen him on the golf course since The Open Championship in July 2024.

“He took his first meaningful swings in TGL on Tuesday night and that raised the idea that just maybe we would see him tee it up at Augusta National.

“But I still think that is probably highly unlikely given he has had zero competitive reps.”

Will Woods suffer ‘reputational damage’ after latest crash?

Weir added to Sky Sports News: “I think the biggest fallout, once again, is reputational damage. This is hugely embarrassing when we thought this was all behind him.

“To be charged with driving under the influence, to spend eight hours in a Florida jail, to refuse a urine test.

“This is the third time he has been involved in a car crash and this has echoes of 2017.

“People will probably say, ‘Tiger, surely there is enough money in the bank now where you can afford to employ a driver to take you from place to place’.

“Surely he shouldn’t be putting himself and other road users, other pedestrians at risk every time he gets behind the wheel of a car?”

What other car incidents has Woods had?

Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant, a tree and a number of hedges outside his home in 2009, an incident that sparked admissions of serial infidelity.

His seven-year marriage ended and he lost a number of sponsorship deals.

Then in 2017, weeks after spinal surgery, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence when he was found asleep at the wheel of his car in Jupiter.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to reckless driving and it later emerged that he had five prescription drugs in his system at the time.

Woods’ most serious crash came in February 2021 following his car rolling over in Los Angeles after he lost control at high speed on a winding stretch of road. Fire crews had to use the ‘jaws of life’ cutting equipment to remove him from the wreckage.

Woods was lucky to be alive and suffered extensive leg and ankle injuries that continue to hamper him to this day. He has had multiple surgeries.

Tiger did not play competitive golf for 15 months after that crash and remains on a limited schedule, most recently playing a tournament at the 2024 Open Championship.

He has completed just four 72-hole tournaments in the last five years and only featured in 11 official events during that period,

Showcase