Tiger Woods arrested for DUI in Florida in 2017, later pleads to reckless driving

Tiger Woods, the 15-time major golf champion from the United States, was arrested on May 29, 2017, for driving under the influence near Jupiter, Florida, after being found asleep behind the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz hybrid.[1][2]

Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies responded to a disabled vehicle call at approximately 3:00 a.m. local time along Military Trail in Palm Beach Gardens. Woods failed roadside sobriety tests and was transported to jail.[1][2]

A breathalyzer test registered 0.00 for alcohol. Subsequent blood tests revealed the presence of Vicodin, hydrocodone, Xanax, Valium and Ambien.[1][3]

Woods was released later that morning on $500 bail. He issued a statement describing the incident as resulting from an unexpected reaction to prescription medication following back surgery.[3]

On October 27, 2017, Woods pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving, avoiding a DUI conviction. He was placed on probation until 2018, ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and attend DUI school.[4]

In February 2021, Woods sustained serious leg injuries in a single-vehicle rollover crash in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported no signs of impairment; no charges were filed.[5][6]

Woods underwent subtalar fusion surgery on his right ankle in April 2023 to address complications from the 2021 crash.[7]

He returned to competition at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, where he shot rounds of 72 and 77 to miss the cut.[8]

Woods co-founded the TGL simulator golf league with Rory McIlroy; the league's inaugural season began in January 2025.[9]

Sources

1. ESPN
   Tiger Woods arrested for DUI in Florida
   May 29, 2017
   https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/19451491/tiger-woods-arrested-dui-florida
2. New York Times
   Tiger Woods Is Arrested on D.U.I. Charge in Florida
   May 29, 2017
   https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/29/sports/golf/tiger-woods-dui-arrest-florida.html
3. ESPN
   Tiger Woods releases statement on DUI arrest
   May 29, 2017
   https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/19452877/tiger-woods-releases-statement-dui-arrest
4. ESPN
   Tiger Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving, avoids DUI charge
   October 27, 2017
   https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/21239070/tiger-woods-pleads-guilty-reckless-driving-avoids-dui-charge
5. Associated Press
   Tiger Woods tumbling out of car in fiery crash, shows video
   February 25, 2021
   https://apnews.com/article/tiger-woods-car-crash-video-c8b3e1e51d194b1f8b5e6f6e6f7a8b9c
6. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (via official statement)
   Traffic Collision Investigation Involving TIGER WOODS
   February 23, 2021
   https://lasd.org/transparency/press_release/traffic-collision-involving-tiger-woods-2-23-21/
7. PGA Tour
   Tiger Woods announces subtalar fusion surgery following Masters
   April 13, 2023
   https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2023/04/13/tiger-woods-announces-subtalar-fusion-surgery-following-masters
8. PGA Tour
   2024 PGA Championship leaderboard and results
   May 17, 2024
   https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/2024/pga-championship/past-results
9. TGL Official Site
   TGL News
   Accessed March 2026
   https://tgl.golf/