Tiger Woods’ reluctance to employ a personal driver stems from his strong desire for privacy, as revealed by recent reports.
The 50-year-old golf icon faced legal trouble on Friday when he was arrested for driving under the influence. This incident occurred after he crashed his Range Rover while attempting to speed past a truck and trailer on a residential road in Jupiter Island.
This marks the fourth occasion Woods has been involved in a car accident.
According to sources, Woods remains confident in his driving abilities, insisting that he is perfectly capable of handling the road himself.
One insider elaborated, saying, “He’s not one for the social scene. Woods enjoys spending time at home with his children, practicing his swing, or indulging in video games. He has a strong aversion to public scrutiny.”
Tiger Woods reportedly refuses to hire a driver because he wants to protect his privacy
The golf legend, 50, was arrested on Friday on suspicion of DUI after crashing his SUV
In addition to these personal challenges, it’s reported that Woods, who is currently dating Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of Donald Trump, was previously prohibited by the Secret Service from driving the former president’s grandchildren.
The president’s immediate family is given around-the-clock protection from federal agents until Trump leaves office. His second term is slated to run until 2029.
On Friday Trump, who awarded Woods the Medal of Freedom in 2019, said: ‘I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty. There was an accident and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man. But some difficulty.’
This was not Woods’ first issue behind the wheel. He was arrested for another DUI in 2017 after police found him slumped in his car in Florida with five drugs in his system, including two painkillers.
Woods was later involved in a similar crash in 2021 in California, which shattered his right leg after he was trapped under the vehicle. He needed multiple surgeries in order to recover from his injuries.
Neither Vanessa nor Kai Trump were with the golf star when his car turned on its side in Florida, but DailyMail.com understands Vanessa is ‘mortified’ with the golf star’s DUI arrest.
After clambering out of the passenger side window of his vehicle, Woods refused to give a urine sample to cops and was arrested for DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
He was transported to Martin County Public Safety Complex where he was booked at around 3pm, and his latest mugshot taken.
Cops released the remarkable image to the public shortly after 10pm on Friday, with Woods’ eyes puffy and bloodshot. An hour later, he was bonded out and driven away from the jail, as fans and reporters swarmed the car for a glimpse of him.
In photos taken by a Daily Mail photographer, Woods can be seen looking stony-faced with his lips pursed, before momentarily glancing out of the passenger side window at the gathered masses before disappearing into the night.
It is the fourth car crash the 15-time major winner has been involved in
Woods, 50, has reportedly been banned from driving his girlfriend Vanessa’s kids by the Secret Service
It was earlier revealed by Sheriff John Budensiek that the 15-time major champion would be required to spend at least eight hours in prison before being allowed to leave on bail.
Speaking to reporters, the sheriff said of Woods’ jail time: ‘It doesn’t matter who you are, if you break the law we’re gonna follow the law. That’s a really easy path to take.
‘Now as far as being in the jail, we’re gonna make sure he’s safe. We’re not gonna put him in general population, he’s not gonna be with other inmates that can try and hurt him or try to capitalize on what he did.
‘He’ll pay the price, but he’s not gonna pay the price by getting punished in jail. He was not injured. He was lethargic on scene, but we believe that was because of what he was intoxicated on.’
