Tiger Woods was charged with DUI in Florida. Now, there’s a surprise twist

South Florida admin September 2, 2026 0 Comments

Tiger Woods was charged with DUI in Florida. Now, there’s a surprise twist

Almost six months after Tiger Woods’ rollover crash near his Jupiter Island home, the case is headed toward resolution.

The legendary golfer was set to make his first in-person appearance in front of a judge Sept. 8 to plead not guilty to driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

But in a surprising turn of events, Woods did an about-face, appearing in court Wednesday for a change-of-plea hearing. Documents were filed by his longtime lawyer Douglas Duncan just the day before, according to Martin County court records.

Pictures obtained by The Daily Mail show the PGA great arriving to the Martin County courthouse in Stuart with his girlfriend, Vanessa Haydon, Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-wife.

Woods stood in front of Circuit Court judge Darren Steele a little after 8 a.m. and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of willful wanton reckless driving with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

Steele accepted the reduced charge, along with a separate careless-driving citation, and suspended the athlete’s driver’s license for five years. The decision was handed down “for the safety of the public,” the judge told Woods, according to ABC News.

“There are no exceptions,” Steele said. “If you were to drive for any reason at all, you would go immediately back to jail.”

The 50-year-old divorced father of two was arrested after the March 27 rollover crash, when he tried to overtake a power-washing truck at a high rate of speed in his Land Rover SUV.

Martin County deputies said Woods, who was not injured, showed signs of impairment at the scene. Despite blowing zero alcohol, he refused a urine test and was placed under arrest.

During processing, two opioid painkillers, hydrocodone, were found in Woods’ pocket, and that’s when he was formally accused of DUI and other charges.

The five-time Masters champ took a break soon after and traveled to Switzerland for rehab treatment. In May, he returned briefly before going back to Europe to support Haydon, 48, through breast cancer treatment and to watch her daughter Kai Trump graduate from high school.

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said in a statement before seeking help. “This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”