Tiger Woods’ highway to hell: Between myth and man
The latest car accident involving the American golfer widens the gap between the sports legend and the human being, tormented by injuries and personal problems
A sports legend, a tormented man. Tiger Woods’ story can be told as much through his feats on the golf course as through his series of mishaps behind the wheel. There’s the myth, the 15-time major winner, the athlete who revolutionized his discipline like no other in the sporting world. There’s the person, repeatedly plagued by his demons. The latest episode, a car accident last Friday that resulted in his arrest and imprisonment, once again places Woods in the eye of the storm and the debate surrounding his behavior and his life, now that he’s turned 50 and still dreams of returning to the elite. To what extent will Tiger destroy himself?
The accident occurred at 2:00 p.m. on Jupiter Island, Florida, near his home. Woods lost control of his Range Rover at excessive speed, collided with a van he was trying to pass, and rolled over onto the driver’s side. He climbed out of the passenger window and waited for officers while making a phone call. He tested negative for alcohol but refused to take a urine test. Police determined he was driving “under the influence of some substance” and “showing signs of impairment.” He was taken to the Martin County Jail, where he remained for eight hours, the legal minimum, before being released amid a flurry of photographers’ flashes. “It doesn’t matter who you are. If you break the law, we will enforce it,” the sheriff stated; “you will face the consequences.”
Once again, the image that circulated around the world was his mugshot, not that of the great player he once was. This is the fourth time he has been involved in a car accident. The first, in 2009, brought down an empire. Woods was involved in an accident near his home after his wife, Elin Nordegren, discovered his infidelities and smashed a car window with a golf club. A major personal scandal erupted, shattering his idol status. Woods took a break from the sport and publicly apologized for his sex addiction, with his mother, Kultida, in the front row. A descent into hell.
In 2017, he was arrested for driving in the early hours of the morning under the influence of large quantities of pain medication he was taking for his physical problems. Police body cameras captured him with droopy eyelids and a swollen face, and a video taken by officers showed him barefoot and disoriented, barely able to walk in a straight line.
In 2021, he almost lost his life. He was driving in a residential area at twice the speed limit, went straight through a right turn, and crashed into a tree after several rollovers. He was rescued from the wreckage, his right leg shattered. Journalist and writer Alan Shipnuck recounted in a book: “Two days earlier, Woods had appeared on CBS, causing a stir with his vacant stare, swollen face, and slurred speech — particularly worrying signs given his previous treatment for painkiller addiction. The most troubling detail? The car’s black box revealed that Woods had kept his foot on the accelerator throughout the crash and that the pressure on the pedal had remained at 99%. This could not have happened if he had fallen asleep at the wheel or been momentarily distracted by his phone.”
The infidelity scandal changed his life. A morbid obsession with pushing himself physically to the limit with extreme training (even with the Navy SEALs) derailed his career, distanced him from Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors, and created a dependence on painkillers that he still struggles with today in his almost illogical attempt to continue competing at the elite level.
Injuries have brought the golfing great to his knees. Last October, he underwent his seventh back surgery and has had several other knee operations. At 50, walking is difficult for him. Therefore, his intention to play in the upcoming Masters Tournament at Augusta, from April 9 to 12, is virtually impossible, merely the stubborn desire of someone who refuses to relinquish his former glory. Tiger continues searching for the myth, but the person seems to be crying out for help. “I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” said U.S. President Donald Trump after this latest accident. “Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.” The two are also connected personally, as Tiger’s current partner is Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of the president’s eldest son.
On March 31, Woods wrote on social media: “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
Tiger hasn’t played an official round of golf since the 2024 British Open. On March 24, he participated in a virtual league, taking just nine strokes, and declared about his intention to try and play the Masters: “I’ve been trying. Just this body is — it doesn’t recover like it did when it was 24, 25.” It was a glimmer of hope before he went off the road again.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition