American professional golfer Tiger Woods has been banned from driving for five years and fined after entering a plea agreement to a reckless driving charge at Martin County Courthouse in Florida on Wednesday, following a rollover car crash outside his home in March.
Judge Darren Steele accepted the plea agreement, which amended Woods' original driving under the influence charge and resolved a separate charge of refusal to submit to a test. Steele warned the 15-time major champion that any violation of the driving ban would carry immediate imprisonment.
Steele told the court that there are no exceptions, adding that if Woods were to drive for any reason at all, he would go immediately back to jail.
Sentencing and court appearance details
Under the terms of the agreement, Woods received a $1,000 (£748) fine and a five-year driving suspension for the reckless driving second offence charge. On the second count of refusal to submit to a lawful test, he was fined $500 (£370).
Woods was also ordered to pay the minimum fine for a careless driving citation, which carries a five-year driving ban that will run concurrently with the suspension for reckless driving. Court documents show he was additionally fined court costs.
The 50-year-old golfer said little during the hearing, which lasted under 10 minutes at the courthouse in Martin County, located on Florida's Atlantic coast. He arrived accompanied by his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of US President Donald Trump, who sat behind him during the proceedings.
Woods had previously entered a written plea of not guilty through his lawyers to charges of driving under the influence, property damage, and refusal to submit to testing. Under Florida criminal procedure, a no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but means the defendant offers no defence and the plea is treated as a conviction in the criminal justice system.
The March rollover collision and police report
The legal proceedings follow a single-vehicle accident on March 27, when the Land Rover Woods was driving rolled over after colliding with a pick-up truck towing a trailer near his Florida residence. Woods spent eight hours in jail following his arrest before being released on bail.
According to the police report from the crash, deputies found two hydrocone pills in Woods' pocket. Hydrocone is a prescription opioid medication used to treat pain. Officers at the scene noted that Woods displayed signs of impairment, describing his speech and movements as slow and lethargic.
Deputies reported that Woods appeared to be sweating, with glassy eyes and dilated pupils. Woods managed to crawl out of his vehicle without sustaining injuries and told a deputy he was looking down at his mobile phone and changing the radio station when he hit the truck. Law enforcement authorities later released bodycam footage of the arrest.
Reactions from Donald Trump and prosecutors
US President Donald Trump, whom Woods is understood to have telephoned at the time of his March crash, said he was relieved to hear about the plea deal and described the resolution as very fair.
Trump described Woods as a great guy who is unique both as an athlete and as a man, adding that Woods suffers great pain. Trump, an avid golfer who has played alongside Woods on numerous occasions, noted that he had long advised Woods to employ a driver and was glad the legal case was resolved.
Thomas Bakkedahl, the State Attorney for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, passionately defended the negotiation process and outcome of Woods' plea agreement following the hearing.
Golf career hiatus and PGA Tour leadership
Woods, a former world No 1 who has won 15 major championships and 82 PGA Tour events during his career, has not competed in a professional golf tournament since missing the cut at The Open Championship in July 2024. The Open is the oldest of golf's four major tournaments.
Following his arrest in March, Woods underwent treatment in Switzerland before returning to make a public appearance on June 23. During that event, he introduced PGA Tour plans to revamp its competitive schedule for 2028 with a two-series structure featuring promotion and relegation.
Woods has retained his position as chairman of the PGA Tour's Future Competition Committee throughout the legal proceedings. He also recently offered public praise for world No 1 Scottie Scheffler following Scheffler's victory in the FedExCup, the PGA Tour's season-ending playoff championship.
