Professional golfer Tiger Woods pleaded no contest on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to reckless driving and failure to submit to a sobriety test. The plea, entered in a Florida court, resolved a case stemming from an arrest in March 2026. As part of the agreement, Woods received a five-year suspension of his driver’s license and was ordered to pay fines totaling $1,500.
The charges followed an incident in Jupiter, Florida, where Woods’ SUV struck a pickup truck and flipped over. According to an arrest affidavit, Woods told authorities he was distracted by his cellphone and the radio. While a Breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system, a responding deputy reported that Woods appeared lethargic and was found with two hydrocodone pills. Woods initially pleaded not guilty to DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test before reaching the deal to plead to the reduced reckless driving charge.
During the hearing at the Martin County Courthouse, Judge Darren Steele stated the license suspension was for public safety, noting that any violation would result in immediate jail time. Woods, who recently spent several weeks at an in-patient treatment facility in Switzerland, was accompanied to court by his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and his attorney.
The legal resolution affects Tiger Woods’ ability to operate a motor vehicle for the next 60 months, as the five-year license suspension carries no exceptions. Under the terms stated by Judge Darren Steele, the 50-year-old golfer faces immediate incarceration if he is caught driving any vehicle before the suspension ends in September 2031.
The scale of the financial penalty includes a $1,000 fine reported by CBS News and a total of $1,500 in fines mentioned by ESPN, alongside the five-year loss of driving privileges. For the public and other motorists in Florida, the court framed the ruling as a safety measure. This case marks the second time Woods has entered a plea for reckless driving following a DUI-related arrest, following a 2017 incident where he attributed his condition to a mix of painkillers.
The effects extend to the PGA Tour and the professional golf industry. Woods recently served as chair of the tour’s Future Competition Committee and remains a central figure in the sport’s administration. While he has not competed since July 2024 due to various injuries, he is still scheduled to host the Hero World Challenge in December 2026. His legal team planned to hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday to provide further details.