US president Donald Trump said Tiger Woods has ‘some difficulty’ after the golfer was involved in a rollover car crash in Florida on Friday afternoon.
Woods, 50, crashed his Land Rover on Jupiter Island, in the same town where he lives, just after 2pm local time after clipping a machinery truck at speed and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence.
The 15-time major champion, along with the other driver, emerged from the incident uninjured with Martin County sheriff John Budensiek admitting “this could have been a lot worse”.
This is the third major crash Woods has been involved in and the second time it has led to a DUI arrest, with authorities suspecting that he was “impaired” by medication after he passed a breathalyser test but refused to take a urine sample.
The American was previously taken into custody for driving under the influence in Florida in 2017, after which he checked himself into a clinic for prescription medication.
Trump commented on Woods’ crash and said he “feels so badly” for his close friend.
“He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said, speaking before the Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Woods’ arrest. “There was an accident and that’s all I know. He’s a very close friend of mine, he’s an amazing person, an amazing man. Some difficulty, I don’t want to talk about it.”
Woods will remain in county jail for at least eight hours under state law until he can be released on bond.
Woods was also in a high-profile rollover crash in California in 2021, which left him with serious injuries. Authorities said he was driving at least twice the 45mph speed limit when he SUV struck a tree, causing the vehicle to fly through the air and land on its side.
At the 2021 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods said: “I’m lucky to be alive and also have a limb,” revealing it was 50-50 as to whether part of his right leg would require amputation.
Woods had been working his way back to golf from a seventh back surgery last September and his status for next month’s Masters remains unclear.
He admitted he got his “a*** kicked” after returning to golf in the virtual league with his team Jupiter Links, who lost in the TGL Finals.
His last official tournament was The Open in 2024, rupturing his Achilles tendon in March 2025 which that kept him off the course all season prior to back surgery.
And while Woods has lifetime eligibility to play at The Masters, as a previous five-time winner of the green jacket, Trump had previously suggested a decision had already been made.
“I love Tiger, but he won’t be there,” Trump said while appearing on “The Five” on FOX News. “He’ll be there, but he won’t be playing in it.”
