Supporters of Tiger Woods made their presence felt at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on Sunday, despite the 15-time major champion being absent from the tournament.
Just days after his arrest in Jupiter, Florida, a group of spectators turned heads by wearing white t-shirts bearing the golfer’s police booking photograph.
The image showed a bleary-eyed Woods, with the hashtag “#FreeTiger” printed beneath.
The 50-year-old was taken into custody on Friday, some 1,300 miles from the Houston venue where his devoted fans gathered.
His mugshot was released by authorities late on Friday evening.
The incident occurred when Woods attempted to pass a truck and trailer at speed on a residential road in Jupiter Island.
His SUV clipped the rear of the vehicle ahead, causing it to overturn onto its side.
Supporters of Tiger Woods made their presence felt at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on Sunday, despite the 15-time major champion being absent from the tournament
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Woods escaped through the passenger window after the collision.
Officers at the scene administered a breathalyser test, which he passed, but he declined to provide a urine sample.
He refused the test a second time upon arrival at the jail.
Tiger Woods pictured in his mugshot | GETTY
Authorities subsequently charged the golfer with driving under the influence, property damage, and refusing to submit to a lawful test.
Woods was processed at the jail on Friday afternoon before being released later that evening.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek addressed the circumstances surrounding Woods’ arrest, noting the golfer’s measured approach during questioning.
“He is cooperative, but he was not trying to incriminate himself, so he was careful in what he said and didn’t say,” the sheriff stated.
Drug recognition specialists who assessed Woods at the scene concluded he showed no signs of alcohol impairment, though they suspected he may have been under the influence of medication or another substance.
“He has a right to refuse that test. There is a statute that he will be charged with for refusing to take that test, but we will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” Budensiek explained.
Tiger Woods may miss the Masters next month
| REUTERS
The display of support echoed scenes from the PGA Championship two years prior, when world number one Scottie Scheffler found himself in handcuffs at Valhalla’s gates following a fatal accident that brought traffic to a standstill.
Fans at that tournament quickly produced t-shirts featuring Scheffler’s mugshot alongside the slogan “Free Scottie” before he returned to complete his round.
This latest incident marks another troubling chapter for Woods, who suffered severe leg injuries in a 2021 California crash that required multiple operations.
It is currently unclear if he’ll play at the Masters next month.
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