Sportscaster Jim Gray says Tiger Woods’ DUI arrest a ‘cry for help’

Tiger Woods was taken into custody after a rollover crash on Jupiter Island, Florida, Friday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

At a press conference, Sheriff John Budensiek said the five-time Masters winner was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, causing it to roll over onto the driver’s side. 

Budensiek added that Woods appeared to have exited the vehicle by “crawling” out of the passenger side.

Fox News contributor Jim Gray said Woods’ crash and subsequent arrest mark the latest chapter in what he called an ongoing “sad story.”

“It is a sad story, and it continues to be a sad story. We’ve all been thrilled with him watching him playing golf. He’s a national treasure (and) an international icon, perhaps the greatest ever. Jack Nicklaus has more majors, but Tiger (is) widely acclaimed, is the greatest golfer ever,” Gray said Friday on “Special Report.”

TIGER WOODS STEPPING BACK INTO COMPETITIVE GOLF AS MASTERS LOOM

“To see this happen, not only once but twice, now the third time … and to have been able to survive the last time and to now go through it again, it just leads you to wonder who is surrounding him. Why does he keep getting in these circumstances? And he’s been so great with his driver on the course, perhaps he should get a driver to drive him.”

Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.

“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. 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,” Budensiek added.

“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”

Gray described the incident as a troubling pattern.

“It’s just another cry for help, it’s screaming out. At some point, somehow, some way, somebody has to get to him to get him this help. Get him a driver, get out from behind the wheel. When you’ve had this many surgeries, obviously we see this with professional sports all the time, numerous surgeries leads to just tremendous pain. 

“And with that pain you’ve got to somehow try to curtail it, and it leads people down this path. I can’t speak to whether or not he’s gone down that path. I haven’t spoken to his doctor, and I haven’t spoken to him about it. 

“But we do know from habits and from the patterns that we see from others and his own pattern, that something is drastically off here. Thankfully, he hasn’t hurt himself as bad as he did the last time, and he didn’t hurt anybody else.”

The Masters begins April 9 at Augusta National, and Woods recently said he has not ruled out playing in the season’s first major.

In the 14 majors since he won the green jacket in 2019, Woods has failed to muster a top 20 finish. It’s his longest such streak since failing to finish in the top 20 in the first six majors of his career in 1995 and 1996. In his last 26 majors, he has only four top 20 finishes.

Since finishing tied for ninth at the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open, his best finish in his 18 official events since then has been a tie for 37th at the 2020 PGA Championship.

“He’s given us so many thrills and so much joy. I think it would be a joy for all of us for us to see him get himself back together. To get through the pain. He’s had surgeries on his back, his neck, his Achilles, his knee … so on and so forth. 

“They’ve all added up. Just to be able to see him smile and to be a part of the game and to be around his children and to be able to function normally would be a great joy for us going forward. He doesn’t have to live up to himself and what he’s done on the golf course in the past. That’s set in stone, and it’s set forever.”

Woods has not competed in a professional golf tournament since 2024, when he competed in just five events — the Genesis Invitational and the four majors. He withdrew from the Genesis, finished dead last in the Masters and missed the cut in the other majors.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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