Tiger Woods’ desire to protect his privacy is behind his aversion to hiring a personal driver, according to reports.
Golf legend Woods, 50, was arrested on Friday for driving under the influence after he crashed and rolled his Range Rover when he tried to overtake a truck and trailer at high speed on a residential Jupiter Island road.
It is the third time Woods has been involved in a major car crash, while on another occasion he was found asleep behind the wheel at the side of the road.
According to PEOPLE, the 15-time major winner does not wish to hire his own private driver because he ‘doesn’t want anyone to watch over him or know what he is doing.’
A source also told the US publisher that the American is adamant ‘he thinks he is fine to drive’.
‘He is not a social butterfly and prefers to hang around his home with his kids, or hitting balls, or playing video games,’ the source added. ‘He despises public scrutiny.’
Woods, who is in a relationship with Donald Trump’s former daughter-in-law Vanessa, had reportedly been banned from driving the US president’s grandchildren by the Secret Service prior to his recent arrest.
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.
He also crashed into a fire hydrant in November 2009 as he tried to flee his Florida home after wife Elin Nordegren discovered he had been having an affair. It sparked an unravelling of his reputation that he has never truly recovered from.
Neither Vanessa nor Kai Trump were with the golf star when his car turned on its side in Florida, but the Daily Mail 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 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.’
