Eldrick “Tiger” Woods made history in 1995 at the age of 19, tying 41st in his first major golf tournament appearance: the Masters. From this day forward, the legend solidified his name as one of the greatest Professional Golf Associations golfers of all time, and now at age 50, he stands as a figure for not only the sport, but also a role model for many aspiring athletes, including his son Charlie.
On March 27, 2026, Woods flipped his second car since 2021, and left many questioning where he is in his life outside of golf, and how this lifestyle of reckless decisions has gotten him to where he is today.
Woods, the 82-time PGA tour winner, is no stranger to the spotlight on his life. After his major performance at 19, Woods joined the PGA tour at 20 years old and quickly rose to fame. The 1996 rookie of the year had three top-10 finishes after only eight starts before going and winning the 1997 Masters by a record 12 strokes. Due to this quick jump to the top of the charts for Woods, his actions have always been on the front of the sport, especially as he continued to grow as a young man off the course as well. He knew he was a role model for many, and it was something that was important in the start of his career knowing the power he had on others.
“If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person’s life in a positive light, and that’s what I want to do,” Woods said to the press in 2009 in New York. “That’s what it’s all about.”
From 2014-2017, Woods was in the public eye for some less than thrilling reasons for fans that looked up to him for inspiration. With four back operations, Woods had to walk away from golf to heal, and this was a change for his mentality that not even fans could have seen coming. After admitting on camera that his career was close to an end at a Masters Champion Dinner, attention was on his back for a comeback, or some proof that things would be okay. This instead was a DUI arrest from issues with painkillers from his surgeries, and this sent the public into a state of chaos waiting for just what was going to happen next.
Woods began a true spiral.
In February of 2021 in Ranchos Palos Verdes, California, Woods drove his SUV into a tree after losing control on the road, and flipped his car for the first time. No other cars were on the road, and although Woods remained calm, this raised many questions with the state of Woods when he was rescued from the vehicle. After being pried from the car and put in different splints, he was rushed into leg surgery, but was ultimately in stable condition.
In March of this year though, what started as a normal drive for Woods turned into a longer ordeal in the back of a cop car.
“I looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden — boom,” Woods said to an officer who said he would have to be checked out by a medical crew.
Woods failed his sobriety test and told cops on scene that he had to maneuver his vehicle around another one with a trailer, which ultimately led to him losing control and flipping onto his driver side of the car. The driver of the other car knew Woods was going to hit him due to his high speeds, and helped him out of his vehicle while waiting for cops to show up.
With this second incident in just five years, the golfer is now in the public eye for his actions and truly what is next for him. After being called out by many on the internet, his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, showed support for him online. This message was followed by a message from Woods on his next steps.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said on social media and ESPN. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my heald. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
Woods requested privacy for himself, his family and loved ones during his recovery.
“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return to a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally,” Woods said.
Woods was spotted shortly after on a private jet to Zurich, Switzerland, for treatment with the approval of the judge on his case. Although the golfer refused drug testing and spent eight hours and $1,150 to get out of jail, rehab was still deemed an option for support. Woods will be in this position until further notice with his golf career and future on the line.
With this trend popping up in the golfer’s life every few years, his game and ability to stay on the right side of his own history is unclear, and will be in the public eye upon his return.
As history has shown, he will spring back into the game and win a tournament in his first few years back, as he has been proving himself in the game since 1996. He has shown through his 15 major wins and 82 tournament wins that he is a force to be respected, and even with this hiccup in the road, his healing and return could be just what he needs to embrace the fact that a 50 year old can make mistakes and bounce back from them at the same time.
Whatever Woods chooses during this time of uncertainty will be heard far and wide, and rehab is his first shot at hitting the links again in the way that his fans can only hope for at his age and talent level. Until Woods returns to the spotlight though, the world will be watching the 2026 Masters tournament April 9-12.
