Tiger Woods has spent most of his life making history on the golf course, but unfortunately, some of the biggest moments away from it have involved him behind the wheel. On September 2, the 15-time major champion pleaded no contest to reckless driving stemming from his March rollover crash in Florida, bringing the latest chapter of his driving troubles to a close — at least legally. As part of the deal, Woods had his driver’s license suspended for five years and was fined $1,500.
The case was originally looked at as much more serious. Woods was arrested on March 27 after his Land Rover clipped the back of a truck and rolled onto its side on a residential road near his Jupiter Island home. Deputies said Woods showed signs of impairment and found two hydrocodone pills in his pocket, although a Breathalyzer showed no alcohol in his system. Woods refused a urine test and initially pleaded not guilty to DUI with property damage before prosecutors ultimately reduced the charge after two toxicologists determined there wasn’t enough evidence to prove impairment.
It is far from the first time Woods has made headlines because of an automobile incident. Over nearly two decades, his driving history has included an infamous late-night crash outside his home, an arrest that involved prescription medications, and a terrifying high-speed wreck that nearly cost him his right leg. With Woods now barred from driving for the next five years, here’s a look back at the major incidents that have made his history behind the wheel almost as well-known as it is complicated.
November 27, 2009 — The Fire Hydrant Crash
Just days after Thanksgiving, Woods crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a tree in a neighbor’s yard outside his Windermere, Florida, home around 2:30 a.m. His then-wife, Elin Nordegren, told police she heard the crash and broke the SUV’s back window with a golf club, while Woods suffered cuts to his mouth. The Florida Highway Patrol later cited him for careless driving, but the crash became much bigger than a traffic story as revelations about Woods’ extramarital affairs quickly followed.
May 29, 2017 — Arrested For DUI
Police in Jupiter, Florida, found Woods asleep behind the wheel of his Mercedes with the engine running while the vehicle sat in a traffic lane. Woods later said he had experienced an unexpected reaction after mixing prescription medications, and toxicology testing found several drugs in his system. He eventually pleaded guilty to reckless driving rather than DUI, receiving one year of probation, community service and entry into a first-time DUI offender program.
February 23, 2021 — The Crash That Nearly Cost Him His Leg
Woods suffered his most devastating crash in February 2021 when his SUV left the road and rolled over in Los Angeles County. Investigators determined he had been traveling between 84 and 87 mph on a road with a 45-mph speed limit, though authorities found no evidence of impairment and filed no charges. Woods shattered bones in his right leg and severely injured his foot and ankle, later revealing that doctors had even discussed the possibility of amputation. The accident required months of rehabilitation and temporarily cast doubt on Woods’ golfing future. He ultimately returned to Augusta National for the 2022 Masters, but the physical effects of the crash have continued to follow him as injuries have limited how frequently he can compete.
March 27, 2026 — Another Rollover & DUI Arrest
Woods’ fourth high-profile automobile incident came near his Jupiter Island home when authorities said his Land Rover clipped a truck before rolling onto its side. According to the arrest report, Woods said he had been looking down at his phone and changing the radio while driving at a high speed. Neither Woods nor the truck driver was injured, but deputies said Woods appeared impaired and found two pills identified as hydrocodone in his pocket. Woods passed a Breathalyzer but refused to provide a urine sample, resulting in charges of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He pleaded not guilty shortly afterward and announced that he would step away from public commitments to seek treatment and focus on his health.
September 2, 2026 — No-Contest Plea & Five-Year Suspension
More than five months later, prosecutors dropped the original DUI charge after toxicologists concluded there was insufficient evidence to establish that Woods was impaired. Prosecutors said his prescription records showed he lawfully possessed the medication and that years of taking pain medication had given him a pharmacological tolerance. Woods instead pleaded no contest to reckless driving and refusing the test — a plea that is not an admission of guilt but is treated as a conviction. The punishment was significant: a $1,500 fine and a five-year driver’s license suspension with no exceptions. Judge Darren Steele warned Woods that driving during the suspension could send him back to jail, while longtime manager Mark Steinberg said Woods accepted accountability and would continue focusing on his treatment and overall health. It closes the latest case, but after four major automobile incidents since 2009, Woods’ rocky history behind the wheel has become an undeniable part of the complicated story surrounding one of golf’s greatest players
