Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge on Wednesday following a rollover crash in Florida, bringing an end to the more serious DUI case against him. The 50-year-old golf legend will have his driver’s licence suspended for five years and was fined 1,500 USD.
Woods initially pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge after his SUV clipped a truck and rolled over on a residential road near his home on Jupiter Island in March. Prosecutors later concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove impairment after two toxicologists reviewed the case and pharmacy records confirmed Woods had a lawful prescription for the pain medication found in his possession.
Woods also pleaded no contest to refusing to submit to testing following the crash. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but it is treated as a conviction in the criminal justice system. Woods, who arrived at court with his girlfriend Vanessa Trump, said little during the hearing and left without speaking to reporters.
His longtime manager Mark Steinberg said Woods remained accountable for the incident and was continuing to focus on his health.
“Tiger is not absolved of accountability and he surrendered his license for the next five years,” Steinberg said, adding that Woods was continuing treatment and prioritising “all aspects of his health”.
WHY THE DUI CHARGE WAS DROPPED
Deputies who arrived at the crash scene reported finding two hydrocodone pills in Woods’ pocket and said he displayed signs of impairment. Woods passed a breath test but refused to provide a urine sample, while telling officers that he had been looking at his phone and changing the radio station before hitting the truck.
State attorney Thomas Bakkedahl said two toxicologists found insufficient evidence to establish impairment and concluded Woods had developed a pharmacological tolerance to pain medication after years of treatment.
“I did what I think is right,” Bakkedahl said while defending the decision to accept the plea agreement.
WOODS’ CAREER REMAINS ON HOLD
The case is another setback for Woods, whose career has been disrupted by multiple injuries, surgeries and crashes since his 2019 Masters victory.
He has yet to return to tournament golf following the March crash and previously travelled outside the United States for inpatient treatment. Woods made his first public appearance since returning in June, when he helped unveil plans for changes to the PGA Tour’s schedule for 2028.
The latest legal development leaves Woods with his licence suspended until 2031, while his return to competitive golf remains uncertain. For now, the 2019 Masters remains his most recent major victory and his last PGA Tour title, with his future on the course still unclear after another difficult chapter in his career.
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