Friends of Tiger Woods are expressing concern for the athlete after he was charged with a DUI on Friday, March 27.
Woods was arrested near Jupiter Island, Fla. following a rollover crash for driving under the influence with property damage as well as refusing to submit to law enforcement. Sources close to the golfer told People he needs to “get real.”
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“It’s serious,” said the source, “but Tiger has yet to look in the mirror and say, ‘You’re 50 years old and need to act like it.'”
The insider continued to People, “He is enabled by people making money off of his talent and reputation, but with his injuries and age, he is frustrated and depressed about his state of health. He wants to play in major tournaments like the Masters, but he needs to get real. Once he does that, he should be better off because people do like Tiger. He is a good person.”
Those close to Woods say that the athlete “has never really gotten over” the death of his father, Earl Woods, in 2006.
“Tiger needs to get a grip on his limitations and make arrangements for them,” said the source. “His peace of mind has run amok over golf and his pain.”
Woods had recently returned to professional golf after recovering from multiple injuries. He had undergone back surgery earlier this year and had suffered a ruptured achilles last year.
The insider also commented on Woods being a very private person who “despises public scrutiny.”
“He is not a social butterfly and prefers to hang around his home with his kids, or hitting balls, or playing video games,” said the same source.
Woods had been previously involved in two other major car accidents in 2009 and 2021. The 2021 crash in Los Angeles led him to sustain serious injuries.