Tiger Woods: The Medication Records and the Fight for Privacy
The records concerning Tiger Woods' prescription medications are being turned over to prosecutors. A Florida judge ruled on Tuesday, following the golf superstar's arrest in March 2026 on suspicion of driving under the influence.
In a brief hearing at the Martin County Circuit Court, Judge Darren Steele approved an agreement between Woods' defense attorney and the prosecution, according to court documents. Woods' lawyer, Douglas Duncan, had initially blocked the prosecution's April 2026 request for the records. His argument: Woods has a right to privacy unless the state can prove the relevance of the documents to the investigation.
At Tuesday's hearing – Woods himself was not present – both sides agreed to the release of the records. It was agreed that these would only be accessible to prosecutors, law enforcement, expert witnesses, and his defense team through a protective order. The good news for Tiger: The records are not accessible via Florida's public records law and thus remain shielded from public view.
Woods, the 50-year-old golf icon, had pleaded not guilty in a traffic accident case in March 2026. On March 27, 2026, he was attempting to overtake a truck on a residential street and collided with it. His SUV overturned, slid further, and came to a stop. The golfer independently climbed out of the passenger side.
Authorities determined that he had not consumed alcohol but appeared impaired. Two pills containing hydrocodone – an opioid painkiller – were found in his pocket. Woods refused to provide a urine sample. The consequences: charges of driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a lawful test, and distracted driving.
In April 2026, prosecutors requested access to copies of "any and all prescription medications" for Woods. These were to include issuance dates, times, dosages, instructions, and "all warnings, including but not limited to, operating a motor vehicle while taking the prescription."
The 15-time major champion told officers at the scene that he had been looking at his phone and had not noticed the tractor-trailer in front of him slowing down. Woods, who famously has undergone numerous back surgeries and surgical procedures for severe leg injuries he sustained in a 2021 car accident in California, stated days after the latest incident: He would "take a leave of absence for a period of time to receive treatment and focus on his health." The court granted him permission to leave the country.
