TiGER Woods was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning on suspicion of drink-driving, police have confirmed.
The former world No 1, 41, was taken into custody at 7.18am close to Jupiter Island, Florida, near his home, after being arrested at around 3am.
He was then released from Palm Beach County Jail at 10.30am. A mugshot shows him looking tired and unshaven.
A spokesperson for the Jupiter Police Department said: “He was arrested for suspicion of DUI at around 3am, and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail. He is no longer at the jail.”
The 14-time major winner had been recovering from surgery after back spasms forced his withdrawal from the Dubai Desert Classic at the start of February.
He said in a statement last month: “The surgery went well, and I’m optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain.
“When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.”
Woods had only returned to competition, after a 15-month absence through injury, in December. Plans to participate at Augusta in April, on the 20th anniversary of his first Masters victory, also had to be abandoned.
He last won a major in 2008, and in 2009 was charged with careless driving near his home after crashing into a tree and damaging a fire hydrant.
Woods later admitted to extra-marital affairs and made an apology in early 2010 in which he spoke of undergoing therapy, saying he was “far short of perfect”.
In the blog discussing his surgery, he wrote last week that he “hadn’t felt this good in years”, but added: “I’m not looking ahead. Right now, my sole focus is rehab and doing what the doctors tell me.”
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