Tiger Woods Out on Bail, With Words From Trump

Tiger Woods was released on bail late Friday, hours after his Land Rover clipped a truck and rolled onto its side, leading to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, officials said. Woods had been traveling at "high speeds" on a residential road and after the crash showed "signs of impairment," Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said, adding that investigators believe he'd taken some kind of medication or drug. He described Woods as lethargic and said he agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol, but he refused a urine test and was arrested. Florida law required that he spend at least eight hours in jail before he could post bail.

Woods, who wasn't injured in the crash, had been held separate from others at the jail, Budensiek said. "He's not going to be with other inmates that could hurt him or try to capitalize on what he did," he said. "He'll pay the price, but he's not going to pay the price by getting punished in jail." President Trump, whose former daughter-in-law Vanessa Trump is dating Woods, was asked about the golfer when he landed in Miami on Friday afternoon for an investment summit. "I feel so badly. He's got some difficulty," Trump said. "Very close friend of mine. He's an amazing person. Amazing man. But, some difficulty." Woods' manager at Excel Sports didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

It was the second time Woods, 50, has been arrested for a DUI not as a result of the influence of alcohol. He said he took a bad mix of painkillers when authorities found him in 2017 asleep behind the wheel of his car, the engine still running and its driver's side damaged. Woods pleaded guilty then to reckless driving. This was also the fourth time Woods has been involved in a car crash, most recently in February 2021, when his SUV ran off a coastal road in Los Angeles at a high rate of speed, leading to multiple leg and ankle injuries. He also previously sustained multiple injuries to his left knee and his back during his golf career. Woods, 50, had been working his way back to golf from a seventh back surgery in September. His last official tournament was the British Open in 2024. More here.