Tiger Woods pleads not guilty as DUI case centres on medication use

Tiger Woods has pleaded not guilty in a driving under the influence case in Florida, as new details from a sheriff’s report raise questions about impairment linked to prescription medication.

Court records from Martin County show that Woods entered a written plea on Tuesday and plans to waive his appearance at an arraignment hearing scheduled for next month.

The case stems from a crash last week on Jupiter Island, where Woods’s vehicle struck a truck and rolled onto its side. No one was injured, though the truck sustained about $5,000 in damage.

According to an arrest report released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies observed multiple signs of impairment at the scene. Woods’s eyes were described as bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated, and his movements slow and lethargic.

He told officers he had taken prescription medication earlier that morning and admitted, “I take a few,” when asked about drug use.

Deputies also found two white pills in his pocket, later identified as hydrocodone, an opioid used to treat pain.

During questioning and testing, officers noted that Woods appeared unsteady and required repeated instructions during field sobriety exercises.

“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,” a deputy wrote in the report.

Woods said he had been distracted before the crash, looking at his phone and adjusting the radio.

He agreed to a breathalyser test, which showed no alcohol in his system, but refused to take a urine test. Under Florida law, refusal to submit to such testing is now considered a misdemeanour, even for a first offence.

The incident adds to a long history of injuries and medical issues for Woods, who has undergone multiple surgeries, including seven on his back and more than 20 on his leg. Deputies observed that he was limping and wearing a compression sock, and Woods said his ankle can seize up while walking.

Woods, 50, remains one of the most recognisable figures in sport, but his career has been shaped in recent years by physical setbacks, including a serious car crash in 2021 that nearly resulted in the amputation of his right leg.

Neither Woods’s representatives nor the PGA Tour, where he holds a leadership role, have commented publicly on the case.