Golf legend Tiger Woods left fans concerned during a rare public video appearance on Tuesday night following his rollover crash and DUI arrest in March.
The 15-time major champion appeared in a pre-recorded message broadcast on The Golf Channel to pay tribute to fellow former professional golfer Notah Begay III, who was receiving the Payne Stewart Award.
The video clip was quickly shared across social media, where viewers reacted to the appearance of the 50-year-old golfer. Woods, who is in a relationship with Vanessa Trump, has kept an extremely low profile since returning to the United States after spending time undergoing intense psychological treatment at a rehabilitation center in Switzerland.
Social media users expressed surprise at Woods' physical appearance after several months out of the public eye. One viewer wrote, "Tiger looks a shell of his former self, sadly," while another commented, "What's going on with the Big Cat? Looks different for sure."
Other fans noted changes in his look, with a third user adding, "Looking sober, but damn he's aged," and a fourth writing, "Tiger looks unrecognizable." Some social media users offered encouragement, with one stating, "Nice to see him not high for once," and another observing, "He looks skinnier!"
Court appearance scheduled in DUI case
The rare video appearance comes as Woods prepares for his first courtroom appearance on September 8 in connection with his March rollover crash in South Florida.
The court date was reportedly postponed a number of times while prosecutors continued their investigation process into the incident. Cops charged Woods with two misdemeanor counts of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test after finding two opioid tablets in his pocket.
Woods, who is represented by attorney Douglas Duncan, waived his arraignment and requested a jury trial over the matter.
At his most recent court hearing on August 4, Martin County Circuit Court Judge Darren Steele approved an agreement between the State Attorney's Office and Woods' legal team allowing prosecutors to request hospital records from the facility that treated the PGA legend following his crash.
In May, Judge Steele approved a similar agreement granting prosecutors access to Woods' prescription medication records from his Palm Beach pharmacy covering the period between January 1 and his March crash.
Social media update on PGA Tour schedule
Earlier on Tuesday, Woods broke his month-long silence on social media to react to radical changes announced by the PGA Tour regarding their end-of-season scheduling.
In a post backing the news, Woods wrote, "The conclusion of the season should be worthy of the journey it takes to get there. Today’s announcement is a result of the hard work and passion of our players. Excited to usher in a new era of match play on the @PGATOUR."
Competitive absence and medical history
Woods had been closing in on a return to competitive golf and was widely expected to compete at The Masters in the days before his crash in March.
He has not competed in a tournament since the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland. Since that appearance, he has undergone surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon as well as a seventh procedure on his back.
Previous driving incidents
The latest saga marks the fourth time Woods has been in trouble while behind the wheel of a car.
In 2017, police arrested Woods for another DUI after finding him slumped in his car in Florida with five drugs in his system, including two painkillers.
In 2021, Woods was involved in a similar rollover crash in California that shattered his right leg after he became trapped under the vehicle. He required multiple surgeries to recover from his injuries and has since struggled with plantar fasciitis, a painful heel condition.
His first major driving incident occurred in November 2009, when he crashed into a fire hydrant as he tried to flee his Florida home after his then-wife, Elin Nordegren, discovered his infidelities.
