Tiger Woods needs to get help — for his own sake as well as those around him | Latest Sports News

For all that Tiger Woods has done on the golf course — all the trophies and green jackets and praise that he’s achieved and deserved — his life outside the ropes continues to spiral. Friday afternoon’s two-car crash is just another bright red line in a clear, unmistakable message to Woods:

Get help. Soon.

Advertisement

The facts of Friday are still sparse, but even sparse facts tell the story. Once again, Woods got behind the wheel of a car — and jammed down hard on the gas — while allegedly impaired. Once again, Woods paid the price, wrecking his vehicle and ending up on the business end of law enforcement. And once again, fortunately, Woods barely escaped causing, or suffering, a terrible tragedy.

On Friday, Woods was driving at a higher-than-posted speed on Jupiter Island, Florida, when he clipped the back of a pickup truck’s trailer. Police on the scene observed that Woods “did exemplify signs of impairment.” He was arrested and taken to Martin County’s jail, where he refused a urinalysis, and where he was scheduled to wait for eight hours before being released on bond.

Moralizing on the lives of celebrities and athletes can be a tricky business, but not when there are issues of legality involved. Not when Woods has now been involved in three separate traffic incidents — 2017, 2021 and now 2026 — in which he was either impaired, involved in a wreck, or both. Not when Woods rifles his vehicles down residential highways while allegedly legally impaired.

Advertisement

Nine years ago, Woods was found asleep in his Mercedes by the side of the road in Jupiter, and was arrested for DUI. In 2021, Woods suffered substantial injury during a catastrophic one-car crash where his vehicle left the road at high speed in a residential Southern California neighborhood. That wreck required months of surgery, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Woods wears a protective sleeve on his right leg to this day, a reminder of that devastating wreck.

And now this, rolling over a car for a second time, this time escaping another serious injury.

Enough is enough. Woods needs help, for his own sake as well as those around him. And if he’s not willing to do it on his own, it’s time for the PGA Tour to step up and do what should have been done long ago — get Woods whatever help he needs to make sure he’s not getting back out on residential streets while under the influence. The Tour has punished other players for far smaller transgressions; it’s time to give Woods appropriate equal treatment.

Advertisement

First and foremost, though, this has to start with Woods himself. He’s one of the greatest athletes that America has ever produced. Maybe all that success insulated him from the consequences of his actions, or maybe all the pressure caused this. Either way, it’s time.

Tiger. Get help. Before it’s too late.