Tiger Woods may have stepped away from public life in the wake of his latest DUI arrest, but the 50-year-old golf legend still can’t hide from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
‘You’ve been behind the wheel of a vehicle inebriated three times,’ Smith told the First Take audience on Wednesday, referring to Woods’ troubled history behind the wheel. ‘You know, ain’t nobody trying to know all your business. What we want to know is that you ain’t gonna get behind the wheel of a damn car when you’re inebriated. You’re lucky you didn’t kill somebody.’
Woods was arrested near his Jupiter, Florida home on Friday after rolling his SUV. Although he passed a Breathalyzer test at the scene of the crash, officers said he was traveling at ‘high speeds’ and ‘showed signs of impairment’ after climbing out of the passenger window of his wrecked vehicle.
A deputy found two white pills on Woods, which have since been identified as the opioid hydrocodone. Woods later refused to take a urine test resulting in his arrest and has since pleaded not guilty to a DUI charge.
Despite his pleas of innocence, Woods did release a statement saying he would step away and seek treatment to ‘prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.’ Interestingly, People.com has reported that Woods is not interested in hiring a private driver for himself because he ‘doesn’t want anyone to watch over him or know what he is doing.’
On Wednesday, Smith took aim at that specific report.
Tiger Woods was arrested near his Jupiter, Florida home on Friday after rolling his SUV
Golfer Tiger Woods, 50, stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Florida
‘You must have a very highly suspect life if you, as a billionaire, don’t even want to hire a driver,’ Smith said.
‘You want your privacy?’ Smith asked. ‘Privacy from what? What’s the driver going to do? Because he dropped you off someplace, he’ll know where he dropped you off? I mean, damn, what are you trying to hide?’
Smith isn’t the only ESPN personality addressing the Woods saga.
Scott Van Pelt, who has served as a lead host for ESPN’s Masters coverage for years, admitted on Tuesday that there would always be an ‘excitement’ around the possibility of Woods competing at the major championship.
However, he insisted that, despite the furor Woods brings to any event he tees it up at, he hoped that the golf legend first seeks the help he needs.
The SportsCenter host pointed to the toll the past few years must have taken on Woods, especially the loss of his mother, Kultida, whom the golf legend had described as his ‘rock,’ early last year.
Stephen A. Smith is concerned with Tiger Woods’ reported refusal to get himself a driver
‘I have to be honest, after what happened, I don’t care if I see him next week,’ he said while discussing the network’s coverage plans for The Masters with reporters, shortly before Woods’ announcement.
‘I care that the human being I’ve known for all these years is well. Whatever needs to happen, I hope it does.
‘He’s gone through a significant loss in the last year and a half of his mom. He’s going through a vicious cycle of injury and rehab and the toll that that takes. And, this is another accident. You don’t want him to get hurt. You don’t want others to get hurt.
‘I hope that whoever is close enough to him to have whatever conversation needs to be had about whatever help might be needed, that that is had. I hope that it resonates.
‘Because truly, as much fun as it is to have watched Tiger play through the years, I’ve gotten to know the man as a human being, and I care about him as a human being, and that’s really my only concern at this point.’
ESPN star Scott Van Pelt urged the golf legend to seek help ahead of The Masters
The 15-time major winner lost his mother, Kultida, who he described as his ‘rock,’ in early 2025
Van Pelt was speaking during a conference call to unveil ESPN’s coverage plans for The Masters and the subject of how the network would address Woods’ scandal was raised.
The longtime beloved broadcaster shared that he hopes more information surrounding the car accident will emerge before the players take to the undulating fairways of Augusta next week in order to have informed conversations.
‘My sense is between now and a week from now, hopefully we know more,’ Van Pelt said.
‘Ultimately, I think where his head is and what his plan is are far more important than what we think it ought to be.’
