Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he is leaving to seek treatment, four days after his vehicle crashed in Florida and he was arrested on charges of driving under the influence. He will miss the Masters for the second consecutive year. "This is necessary so that I can prioritise my well-being and work toward long-term recovery," Woods stated in social media posts. Woods pleaded not guilty in his Florida DUI case on Tuesday, hours after a sheriff's report said deputies discovered two pain medications in his pocket and determined him to be impaired after his SUV collided with a trailer and rolled over on its side.

According to Martin County's online court record, Woods entered a written plea of not guilty and planned to waive his April 23 arraignment hearing.
This is the second time Woods has taken a leave of absence following an automobile accident. After his SUV collided with a fire hydrant and a tree outside his Orlando home in 2009, he took a leave of absence to improve himself. That lasted four months, and he returned to the Masters.
When interviewed at the scene of the crash, Woods' eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated, and he was carrying narcotic pills — identified as hydrocodone — according to the arrest report provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

According to the report, Woods' motions were slow and lethargic, and he was sweating while speaking with deputies in the back seat of an air-conditioned car. He also told them that he had taken prescription medication earlier in the morning.
According to the complaint, Woods informed authorities that just before hitting the caravan, he was glancing at his phone and messing with the radio.
Woods has not competed in an official event since the 2024 British Open. He was rehabilitating from his eighth back surgery in October and hoped to return to the Masters, where he is a five-time champion.

"I'm committed to take the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally," Woods stated in his statement.
Woods will not be in Augusta, Georgia, where he was scheduled to appear alongside Masters chairman Fred Ridley to commemorate the inauguration of a rebuilt municipal course featuring Woods, or at the elite Masters Club luncheon for champions.
"Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament completely support Tiger Woods as he prioritises his health. Tiger will not be with us in person next week, but his presence will be felt in Augusta," Ridley said in a statement.

That means taking a break from more than just golf. He plays an important position on the PGA Tour board, overseeing the Future Competition Committee and revising the program. According to a tour spokesperson, Woods did not attend Tuesday's meeting, and work will continue in his absence.
"Over the last year, I've come to deeply appreciate Tiger not only for his contribution to the game, but also for his friendship and the perspective he's shared with me as I've entered the golf industry," said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, who began last summer. "My thoughts are with him and his family as he takes this step, for which he has my full respect and support."

Woods was traveling at high speeds on a beachside, residential road on Jupiter Island with a 30 mph (nearly 50 kph) when the accident occurred. The truck had $5,000 in damage, according to the report.

The truck driver and another person helped Woods out of his vehicle through the passenger window. Neither Woods nor the truck driver were injured.

During a field sobriety test, deputies noticed Woods limping and that he had a compression sock over his right knee. Woods explained he had undergone seven back surgeries and over 20 surgeries on his right leg, and that his ankle seizes up while walking.Woods, who was hiccupping during interrogation, kept moving his head during one of the sobriety tests, prompting deputies to remind him many times to keep his head straight, according to the report.
"Based on my observations of Woods, how he performed the exercises and based on my training, knowledge, and experience, I believed that Woods normal faculties were impaired, and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle," the constable wrote following the tests.
Woods, 50, is the most influential character in golf and has become as well-known as any athlete in the world. He was the first person of Black origin to win the Masters in 1997, and he captivated golf fans with records that are unlikely to be broken again.

However, his injuries have prevented him from accomplishing more, notably those sustained in a 2021 automobile accident in Los Angeles that severely crippled his right leg, prompting doctors to consider amputation.
Woods consented to a Breathalyser test, which revealed no alcohol, but declined a urine test, according to officials. He was arrested and then released on bail eight hours later.
Woods, who has been involved in four accidents over the years, is charged with driving under the influence, causing property damage, and refusing to submit to an authorised test.

A change in Florida law last year made denying a law enforcement officer's request to take a breath, blood, or urine test a misdemeanour, even for a first offence.