Tiger Woods was pushing to return for the Masters, but his recent car accident and arrest puts his status even more in question. The Athletic’s Brody Miller broke down Woods’ chances of playing in the Masters following the recent crash.
The golf analyst labeled Woods’ chance to compete at the Masters as “pretty slim” even before the accident. Woods has not played in a PGA Tour event since 2024.
“Pretty slim (chances to play the Masters),” Miller detailed in a March 29, 2026, story titled, “Will Tiger Woods play in the Masters? Explaining what goes into that decision.” “He refused to rule out a return when asked in February and said he was hitting full shots, but he also acknowledged his focus was more on his responsibilities with the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee.
“Woods then increased intrigue when he played last Tuesday in the TGL Finals, but Woods, a co-founder of the simulator league, hit just five shots outside of putts and didn’t play any of the full singles holes. He didn’t look sharp, but he still had some of the goods as he hit a nice stinger and put an approach near the pin from 279 yards out. Still, the gap between being able to hit five shots on a simulator and playing multiple rounds at the extremely hilly Augusta National is hard to put into words.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest golf news regarding Woods.
Tiger Woods Was Arrested on March 27, for Suspicion of DUI Following a Car Accident
Following a car accident in Jupiter, Fla., Woods was arrested on March 27, for suspicion of DUI, per ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. Questions about Woods’ potential impairment do not appear to be centered around alcohol use.
“They did several tests on him,” Marion County Sheriff John Budensiek said of the signs of Woods’ possible impairment, per ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests.
“… He is cooperative, but he was not trying to incriminate himself. So he was careful in what he said and didn’t say.”
One important note, there were no reported injuries after the car accident.
Tiger Woods Urged to Focus on ‘Much Bigger Challenges’ Than Playing in the Masters
Woods sparked increased rumors about his status for the Masters after competing in the TGL championship. There is a stark contrast between hitting a few shots on a golf simulator and walking 18 holes on Augusta National for four straight days.
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes Woods will not play in the Masters and expressed hope that the PGA Tour star will shift his focus to “much bigger challenges” in his life.
“I would say his whole life is in turmoil at this moment in time,” McGinley told Sky Sports on March 29. “I’d be surprised if we see him at the Masters. I think he’s got much bigger challenges going on than whether he plays in the Masters or not at the moment. A whole reconsideration of how he’s living his life and the challenges he has [is in order].
“He is obviously coming back from serious injury again – last year he had more back surgery – and he’s recovering from that, trying to get himself up to speed and rush to get ready for the Masters.”
There is no official deadline for Woods to make a decision on the Masters, aside from the first round beginning on April 9, per Miller.
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