Tiger Woods finally broke his silence after that scary crash last Friday night that led to a DUI arrest. He announced that he is stepping away to fix his health. This news sadly dismisses any hope of seeing him play at the Masters tournament.

“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.

“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones, and myself at this time.”

This is the first announcement Woods has made since his DUI arrest on March 27, 2026. It officially ended his hopes for the upcoming Masters. This marks the sixth time in his career that Woods has been forced to miss or withdraw from the tournament (previously 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2025).

Before this mishap, Woods had been working aggressively to return to the course after stating earlier in the year that a Masters appearance was ‘not off the table.’ He had been practicing at home in Jupiter and recently returned to competitive play in the TGL Season 2 finale. He even showed some positive performances despite struggling with ongoing physical limitations.

However, those comeback hopes collapsed on Friday afternoon. At approximately 2:00 PM, Woods was involved in a high-speed rollover crash on Beach Road in Jupiter Island. While attempting to overtake a truck pulling a pressure-cleaner trailer on a narrow two-lane residential road, Woods’ Land Rover clipped the back of the trailer. The impact caused his vehicle to swerve, roll onto its driver’s side, and slide along the roadway. While Woods managed to crawl out of the passenger-side window uninjured, he showed significant signs of impairment. It led to his arrest and the following DUI charges.

Just nine minutes after Woods’ announcement, the PGA Tour posted statements from both the organization and its CEO, Brian Rolapp.

“Tiger Woods is one of the most influential figures the sports world has ever known. Over the last year, I have come to deeply appreciate Tiger not only for his impact on the game, but for his friendship and the perspective he has shared with me as I joined the golf industry,” Rollap said. “My thoughts are with him and his family as he takes this step, for which he has my full respect and support.”

Since taking over the commissioner’s role in 2025, Rollap shares a strong professional bond with Woods. After joining the industry, Rolapp immediately pushed Woods into a senior administrative role, appointing him as the Chairman of the newly formed Future Competition Committee in August 2025.

The official PGA Tour statement added:

“Tiger Woods is a legend of our sport whose impact extends far beyond his achievements on the course. But above all else, Tiger is a person, and our focus is on his health and well‑being. Tiger continues to have our full support as he takes this important step.”

Woods’ current role in the PGA Tour is extensive. He is a member of both the Policy Board and the PGA Tour Enterprises Board. And as the Chairman of the FCC, he is responsible for steering the Tour toward a new ‘Scarcity Model’.

But this is certainly not the first time Woods faced a tough situation before the Masters.

Tiger Woods has a long history of pre-Masters heartbreak

In 2014, a pinched nerve in his back forced him to skip the Masters. It was the first time in his career he missed the event, an absence he described as “frustrating” but necessary for his long-term health. Similar back problems forced him to sit out the tournament again in both 2016 and 2017. In 2017, despite being medically cleared, he announced just days before the tournament that he did not feel tournament-ready.

And the most terrifying moment happened in February 2021 during a near-fatal single-car crash in Los Angeles. Traveling at high speed, his SUV sailed off the road and rolled multiple times. Woods suffered severe compound fractures to his right tibia and fibula. Injuries were so severe that doctors initially considered amputation. He said later that his only goal was to see if he could still ‘be a father’ and eventually walk again.

Despite the setbacks, Augusta remains the site of Woods’ most iconic achievements. It is where he won his first major in 1997. In 2001, his victory at Augusta completed the Tiger Slam. And most recently, he won his last (15th) major there in 2019, breaking an 11-year major drought and completing one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

Given that, he has always used the Masters as his gateway back to the golf world. He returned to golf at the 2010 Masters after the infamous car crash in 2009. Despite intense public pressure and harsh criticism, he finished in a tie for fourth. And even after his 2021 crash, Woods made a shocking return at the 2022 Masters, where he unexpectedly made the cut and finished 47th despite a visible limp. In 2023, he again made the cut, matching the all-time record of 23 consecutive cuts made at Augusta, before withdrawing in the third round due to plantar fasciitis.

Given these histories of defying the odds, it was highly expected that Woods would find a way to compete in 2026, even while dealing with a ruptured Achilles and a seventh back surgery from the previous year. However, the 5x Masters champion is now prioritizing his family and his health over the competitive field.