Tiger Woods steps away from golf, will seek treatment after DUI arrest

• Tiger Woods announced he is "stepping away" from golf to seek treatment and focus on his health.
• Woods faces a DUI charge following a rollover crash on March 27 in Jupiter Island.

Tiger Woods is "stepping away" from golf to seek treatment and focus on his health he announced on social media.

Woods, 50, faces a DUI charge with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test following a March 27 rollover crash in Jupiter Island, not far from his home.

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today," Woods wrote March 31. "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.

“I’m 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.”

Earlier in the day, Woods pled not guilty to the DUI charge in Martin County court.

The wreck was the second time since 2021 that Woods has been in a crash in which his vehicle rolled over and the second time since 2017 he has been arrested on DUI charges.

Woods has requested a jury trial and has hired Douglas Duncan, the attorney who represented him during his 2017 DUI case in Jupiter. He will be arraigned April 23 before Martin County Judge Kathleen Roberts. He will not be required to attend.

Woods had difficulty following directions while taking sobriety tests and was carrying two pills revealed to be hydrocodone following his crash, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

The 15-time major championship winner said he had looked down at his cellphone and was changing radio stations as he drove his black Land Rover along South Beach Road when he struck a trailer attached to the Ford F-150 he was passing.

The impact caused Woods to lose control of the Land Rover, which flipped onto its driver's side.

The PGA Tour also released a statement.

“Tiger Woods is a legend of our sport whose impact extends far beyond his achievements on the course,” the tour’s statement read. “But above all else, Tiger is a person, and our focus is on his health and well-being. Tiger continues to have our full support as he takes this important step.”

Woods currently serves as the chairman of the tour’s Future Competitions Committee, which is working with CEO Brian Rolapp to redesign the schedule.

Will Tiger Woods play in the Masters?

For all intents and purposes, Woods, who has been on the mend after last year's Achilles and back surgeries, will miss the Masters for the second straight year. The tournament will be at Augusta National Golf Club from April 9-12.

After tying for fourth in 2013, Woods has played in the Masters just six times, including winning the Green Jacket in 2019, his last victory in a major.

Woods has not played in a major since the 2024 season, when he finished 60th in the Masters and missed the cut in the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and British Open.