Tiger Woods said Tuesday that he’s stepping away to hunt treatment after pleading not guilty in his driving under the influence case in Florida.
The 50-year-old pro golfer’s lawyer entered a written plea of not guilty, in response to the net court docket for Martin County, viewed by Global News. Woods waived his April 23 arraignment hearing and demanded a trial by jury after entering the plea.
The defence has 10 days to file any additional motions and the case is being heard in Florida’s nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
4 days after his vehicle crashed in Florida and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Woods announced that he’s “stepping away for a time frame to hunt treatment and concentrate on my health.”
“That is mandatory to ensure that me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery,” Woods, who will miss the Masters for the second yr in a row, wrote in an announcement.
“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, each personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, family members and myself right now.”
U.S. President Donald Trump showed his support for Woods following the rollover crash.
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In a phone interview with the Recent York Post on Tuesday, Trump said he had spoken with Woods since his arrest on Friday.
“I believe he’s doing great, he’s doing good,” Trump said. “He tested negative for alcohol, as you realize, and he’s under an incredible physical pressure from his various ailments, you realize, the back and the leg.
“He lives a lifetime of pain. He has a variety of pain. He’s a tremendous guy. He’s a tremendous athlete. He does have pain.”
He went on to say that Woods “doesn’t have an alcohol problem” but “does have pain.”
Woods’ not guilty plea got here hours after a sheriff’s report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket and he showed signs of impairment after his SUV clipped a trailer and rolled over onto its side.
His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated and he had opioid pills — identified as hydrocodone — on him when interviewed on the scene of the crash, in response to the arrest report released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Woods’ movements were slow and lethargic, he was sweating as he talked to deputies within the back seat of an air-conditioned automotive and he told them he had taken prescription medication earlier within the morning, in response to the report.
He told deputies he had been his phone and twiddling with the radio moments before he hit the trailer, in response to the report.
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., March 27, 2026.
AP Photo/Jason Oteri, File
That is the second time Woods has taken a leave following a automotive crash. In 2009, after his SUV plowed into a hearth hydrant and a tree outside his home near Orlando, he took a leave of absence to work on being a greater person. That lasted 4 months and he returned on the Masters.
Woods has not played an official event for the reason that 2024 British Open. He was recovering from a seventh back surgery in October and was attempting to return on the Masters, where he’s a five-time champion.
Woods won’t be in Augusta, Ga., where he was to look with Masters chairman Fred Ridley to have fun the opening of a refurbished municipal course that involved Woods, or for the celebrated Masters Club dinner for champions.
“Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being. Although Tiger won’t be joining us in person next week, his presence can be felt here in Augusta,” Ridley said in an announcement.
— With files from The Associated Press
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