Welcome back to playing dirty sports Scandals. I'm your host and barista extraordinaire, Jay Harris. Today I'm serving up the story of one of the most iconic athletes of all time, Tiger Woods, a name synonymous with epic achievement. Tiger Woods revolutionized the sport of golf and became a cultural phenomenon. But just as prune and grapefruit fusion blends hit the big time before becoming a dark note in most people's recipe books, Tiger woods meteoric trajectory would be marred by scandal. Meh, Yeah, the heyday of prune and grapefruit blends is over for a reason. That's just h But what was the reason Tiger Woods starred in From the outset, it seemed unimaginable that Tiger would miss his shot at consistent professional and personal greatness. Born as Eldrick Tant Woods on December thirtieth, nineteen seventy five, in Cypress, California, Tiger quickly proved worthy of his ferocious nickname under the guidance of his driven father, Earl Woods. Earl was a retired U. S. Army officer and named his son after his friend South Vietnamese colonel of Wangdong Fong, known as Tiger Fong. I never knew him as Tiger Pong. Tiger Woods would later explain, my father would talk about him so much. He was tiger Ie, the first Tiger. It was important to Earl Woods that his son live up to his namesake, and it became apparent early on that this kid had the natural talent to do so. Earl recognized Tiger's athletic potential around the same time most new parents are thrilled to just see their little one sitting up independently. When Tiger was ten months old, I unstrapped him out of his high chair one day and he walked over and hit the ball. Earl would later recall in the HBO documentary, Tiger I said, Oh my god, I've got something special. Earle wasn't wrong, and he was certainly determined to help his son fulfill his potential. Tiger's mother, called Tita Woods, who goes by Tita, is originally from Thailand and made Earle's parental enthusiasm look tame. Tiger confessed to USA Today in twenty seventeen that his mother, Tita was the enforcer. My dad may have been in the Special Forces, Tiger said, but I was never afraid of him. My mom's still here and I'm still deathly afraid of her. She's a very tough, tough lady, very demanding. I love her so much, but she was tough. The combination of Earl and Tita as his parents, plus his incredible natural athleticism, made Tiger Woods a competitor out to Gate at just eighteen months old. Earl took Tiger to the practice range for the first time, where he emptied an entire bucket of balls using a cut down iron. Soon after, Tiger played his first hole, a par four four hundred and ten yard challenge, where he recorded an eleven. For you who are not golf officiados, that is a remarkable feat for someone so young and for some of us who are not so young. By the time Tiger was two years old, he was already capturing significant media attention. Los Angeles sports anchor Jim Hill featured him in a segment declaring, this young man is going to be to golf what Jimmy Connors and Chris Everett are to tennis. Tiger was also on The Mike Douglas Show, where he wowed audiences by putting on an exhibition alongside comedian Bob Hope at three years old, when most kids are first learning how to catch a ball and dress themselves, Tiger broke fifty on nine holes for the first time, shooting a forty eight on the Destroyer course at the Navy Facility. To put this into perspective, it's an achievement that even golf legends like Jack Nicholas didn't accomplish until they were much older. Earl and Tita had a full time force of nature on their hands with toddler Tiger, and they knew he needed professional guidance. Tiger's parents found him his first pro golf teacher, Rudy Durant, in nineteen eighty. Back then, Rudy was an assistant pro at Hartwell Golf Course, a collection of petit par three's in Long Beach, California. He ran a junior golf program for one hundred kids, and when Tiger showed up as his youngest participant, Rudy didn't know what to expect, but it didn't take long for tiny Tiger to become Rudy Durand's biggest focus. The coach remembers being immediately impressed, saying he was blown away by Tiger's swing. And it wasn't just Tiger's skills that far exceeded his years. His fiercely competitive nature began to emerge as well. His mother Tita, observed that he would quote show a bit of temper when he didn't make a part, and Rudy duran told golf dot Com how Tiger would be frustrated by his physical limitations at four and a half years old, turning to strategy to overcome his age related challenges. By the time he was five years old, Tiger Woods had his first set of clubs properly fitted by Rudy Durant, and he was ready to take his game to the next level. Tiger's accomplishments piled up. At age six, he played in a two hole exhibition with golf legend Sam Snead, finishing just one stroke behind him. He then entered the Optimist Junior World ten and Under division in San Diego, where he finished eighth out of a field of one hundred and fifty. At age eight, Tiger won his first Optimist Junior World title. He would win it again at age nine. There was no doubt about it. Tiger Woods was a bonafide golf prodigy before his tenth birthday. Everyone saw greatness written into his future. Even a Buddhist monk on a family trip to Thailand would tell Tita that her son was special. As Tiger grew, his talent grew with him. He dominated the junior golf circuit, winning the Optimist International Junior Championship six times, and at just fifteen years old, he became the youngest ever US Junior Amateur champion. On the heels of this achievement, Tiger won three consecutive US Junior Amateur titles, followed by three US Amateur titles, a feat no one had accomplished before. It felt as if there weren't enough awards yet created for Tiger Woods to win. The teenager was simply unstoppable. Even the golf legend Byron Nelson, after seeing Tiger play, would gush to fellow legend Tom Watson, I've seen Ben, Jack, Nicholas, and you. I've seen them all, Tom. This young fellow has no weaknesses. These were proved to be loaded words in later years, but as Tiger bordered on adulthood, He's seen in his natural habitat on a pedestal. Unsurprisingly, Tiger Woods was heavily recruited by colleges. He chose Stanford University, the nineteen ninety four NCAA champion, and enrolled there in the fall of nineteen ninety four under a golf scholarship. His first collegiate tournament was the fortieth annual William H. Tucker Invitational, and just as everyone expected him to, he won. While Tiger only spent two years playing for Stanford before leaving college to turn pro, he would describe it as one of the best times in his life, saying, I really enjoyed being stimulated by the students and professors. Some were geniuses and others were Olympic athletes. It's amazing how well rounded they are. That's what's so cool about it. I must soak up that experience. According to his Stanford friend Casey Martin, college really was an opportunity for Tiger to soak up normal, age appropriate activities for the first time in his life. Casey told Golf Digest, I love Tiger. He's the greatest at his sport, maybe ever, but I'll never forget one time a bunch of us were having a grand time watching Tiger dance. You know a guy that's so dominant, you've got to bring him down a little. You've got to look for his weaknesses and really expose it. I think we found it at Stanford Dancing. It's a bad deal. Ha. But while Tiger Woods may have stood out in a bad way for his terrible dancing, he stood out in a positive way as a black trailblazer in golf. Golf is a predominantly white sport. Even today, The National Golf Foundation reports that just three percent of all recreational golf players are black, and only one point five five percent of competitive golfers are black. A handful of athletes have paved the way for Tiger's dominance, golfers like Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, and Calvin Pete. Charlie Sifford, often referred to as the Jackie Robinson of golf, broke the color barrier on the PGA Tour in nineteen sixty one, enduring significant racism and prejudice to create opportunity for future generations. While Charlie would declare his endless love of golf, he would also say I don't smile much and I never laugh. If you'd been through what I've been through, you wouldn't be smiling either. Tiger Woods would later make clear the impact Charlie's trailblazing had on his own life by naming his son after him. In fact, Tiger called Charlie Siffert the grandpa I never had, and said that had Charlie not broken the PGA color barrier, he might never have played golf. My dad would have never picked up the game without Charlie as a role model, Tiger explained similarly, Lee Elder came the first black offer to play in the Masters Tournament in nineteen seventy five. This was a momentous event that challenged the segregationist history of the sport and especially of Augusta National Golf Course. It was also an event riddled with fear for Lee, who put his personal safety on the line to participate. Leading up to the tournament, Lee received large amounts of hate mail, and during the week of the tournament, he rented two houses in town and kept moving between them to make his whereabouts difficult to nail down. It was very nerve racking, Lee would tell CNN later, I was shaking so badly. I did not know if I was even going to be able to tee up the ball, but Lee persisted and laid yet another stepping stone for Calvin Pete, who won twelve PGA Tour events in the nineteen eighties. Calvin would be the most successful Black offer until Tiger Woods came on the scene. Tiger Woods rise to fame in the nineteen nine and he's brought a new level of visibility and inclusivity to the sport. His impact was immediate and undeniable. By the time Tiger turned pro in nineteen ninety six, the world was already watching closely. Within a year, he had won his first major championship at the nineteen ninety seven Masters, by a record breaking twelve strokes, becoming the youngest Master's champion in history at just twenty one years old. Tiger Woods was not only following in the footsteps of Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder and Calvin Pete, he was transcending the sport, becoming a global icon and inspiring a new generation of golfers from diverse backgrounds. With his signature fist pump and incredible intensity, Tiger not only won tournaments, he captured the imagination of fans around the world. Over the next decade, Tiger became the fastest player to win fifty tournaments on the PGA Tour, and by two thousand and one, he had completed what was to become known as the Tiger Slam by holding all four major titles from the Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, US Open, and the Open Championship at the same time. This was an unprecedented achievement. This combination of power, precision, and mental strength made him nearly unbeatable, and Tiger Woods became a household name, not just in golf, but in sports and popular culture at large. Lucrative endorsement deals with major brands like Nike and titleists naturally flowed to Tiger, making him a very wealthy man while simultaneously bringing golf into the mainstream. Tiger Woods was on top of the world, but as we've explored time and time again on playing dirty meteoric rises come with tremendous pressure. The expectations placed on Tiger by his parents in the world were immense. As the victories piled up, so did the demands on his time, his body, and his psyche. It would be the same relentless drive that pushed Tiger to the top of the golf world that would ultimately contribute to his dramatic and scandalous fall. On the evening of November twenty seventh, two thousand and nine, the sports world was rocked by breaking news that Tiger Woods, this seemingly invincible golf icon, had been involved in a car accident outside his home in Windermere, Florida. What was initially reported to be a minor traffic incident was soon revealed to be something much more complex and sensational. Tiger Woods, driving his Cadillac Escalator around two thirty am, had struck a fire hydrant and a tree just a few yards from his driveway. How could this happen to such a controlled and disciplined athlete. It's difficult to imagine that the golfer who unleashed a two hundred and eighteen yard Masters stroke from a pile of wet sand at the two thousand RBC Canadian Open would struggle to park. People didn't buy it, and as the hours and days passed, the narrative surrounding the incident began to shift, as relentless questions poured in why had Tiger Woods been leaving his home at such an odd hour? Why had Tiger's wife at the time, model Elin Nordegren, used a golf club to smash the back window of the vehicle to help her husband escape from a low impact crash. Why had Tigers sustained facial injuries? What was going on with golf scolden boy. In the days and weeks that followed, the carefully guarded facade of Tiger Wood's life began to unravel at an alarming rate. Reports started surfacing that the crash was not just a simple accident that it created thirty two hundred dollars in residential property damage, but rather the culmination of a heated argument between Tiger and Elin. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren seemed to be the couple who had it all. They met during the two thousand and one British Open. Elan was working as a nanny for Swedish golfer Yesper Parnavic's family, and Tiger quickly took notice, recognizing her as the true grand prize. According to Jesper's wife, Mia Parnavik, Elan had no interest in Tiger and he was okay with that. There was a big line of single golfers wanting to meet her. They were gaga over her, but Tiger Woods never backed down from a challenge, so he pulled out his famous long game to wu Elan, finally getting her to say yes to his proposal at the Shamwari Game Reserve in November two thousand and three. On October fifth, two thousand and four, the couple married at the Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados. Tiger rented the entire complex for a week at a cost of almost two million dollars in honor of the celebration. This included exclusive access to three golf courses and all one hundred ten rooms. The wedding went great of beaming Tiger Woods set after the ceremony. It was a very special occasion. We just had a great time with all the families there, and then it seemed to the outside world that the great times kept right on rolling for Tiger and Elin. They lived in a seven nine hundred and forty square foot multi million dollar mansion in a gated community. They welcomed two beautiful, healthy children, first a daughter, sam Alexis Woods, on June eighteenth, two thousand and seven, and then a son, Charlie Axelwoods, on February eighth, two thousand and nine. It's great when you see people who've been married for twenty thirty forty years and they're still in love. That's what I want for Elin and I, Tiger told People magazine. It really seemed that Tiger Woods was not just a phenomenal golfer, but all so an incredible husband and father. But his car crash on November twenty seven, two thousand and nine, exposed a double life. Journalists were quick to uncover that Tiger and Elan had had an argument the previous evening on Thanksgiving Day about his infidelity. Allegedly, Elin discovered romantic text messages between her husband and Rachel Yukuatel, the director of VIP operations for New York City's Tow nightclub. Elan called the number associated with the text and, expecting to hear Tiger on the other end of the line. Rachel answered the phone saying something like hey babe. Not only was this confirmation of Tiger's stepping out on her, but Elin apparently found communications with other mistresses on his phone. The man whom everyone thought could do no wrong had apparently been playing very dirty. According to Tiger Woods's biographer, James Patterson. Elan woke Tiger up and confronted him about his affairs. At this point, Tiger locked himself in the bathroom for a short time before rushing out of his house and into his Cadillac, where he crashed it just one hundred and fifty yards away. The image of Tiger Woods as a devoted family man and clean cut athlete was forever tarnished. As word got out, women lined up to claim they'd had affairs with the golf superstar. Rachel Yu could tell herself would say, I knew him to be cheating on his wife from the first time I met him, well before we got together. Facing mounting pressure and public outrage, Tiger Woods broke his silence on December two, two thousand and nine, releasing a statement on his website acknowledging that he had quote let his family down and expressing regret for his quote transgressions. He further announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from professional golf to focus on his family. It was a decision that shocked the sports world, especially since the media had been talking of how close Tiger Woods was to beating the record of icon Jack Nicholas, who'd won eighteen major championships in his illustrious career, it seemed inevitable that Tiger would overtake Jack, But now on the heels of personal crisis, golf fans were left wondering if the most influential golfer of a generation would ever compete again. As we all know, scandalous SIPs always come with an aftertaste. There was no chance the press stepping back to give Tiger an eel in privacy in their darkest days, and there was no doubt that the full story would eventually be spilled for public consumption. The New York Post soon reported that Tiger Woods cheated with quote as many as one hundred and twenty women behind his wife's back during their five year marriage, from diner waitress Mindy Lawton to porn star Holly Sampson, with whom he had sex the night of his bachelor party, to exotic dancer Corey Wrist. But it was the discovery of a one night stand with the twenty one year old daughter of a neighbor that was the final straw for Elin Nordegrend. The National Inquirer delved deeply into this particular portrayal, claiming that Elan decided to sign divorce papers after learning about Tiger's alleged fling with a neighbor's daughter, Rachel Coudre, whom he had reportedly known since he was just fourteen years old. As the scandal continued to dominate headlines and Elan moved ever closer toward the exit, Tiger Woods faced increasing pressure to address the unfolding situation more fully, so on February nineteenth, twenty ten, Tiger held a highly publicized press conference at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponavidra Beach, Florida. It was his first public appearance since the scandal broke, and millions tuned in to hear what he had to say. Here, he faced the world's media and a select group of friends and family, including his mother Tita, who sat stoically in the front row. During the thirteen minute statement, Tiger admitted to his infidelity, stating I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated. He went on to express deep regret for his actions, saying I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. Tiger acknowledged that he had stopped living by the core values talked to him by his parents, and that his behavior was not acceptable. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled thanks to money and fame. I didn't have to go far to find them. While the apology was a pivotal moment in the scandal, it did little to stem the tide of public criticism and personal fallout for Tiger. He retreatd to Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for sex rehab as his sponsors, like Jellette, Gatorade, and Accentua jumped ship. Accentia was the first to severtize, announcing in December two thousand and nine the Tiger Woods was no longer the right representative for their brand. Gellette followed suit, stating that they would be phasing Tiger out of their marketing campaigns. Gatorade, which had already discontinued its Tiger Focus drink two days before the scandal broke, formally ended its relationship with the Fall and Golfer in early twenty ten, At and t Another of tiger woods high profile sponsors, also dropped him, citing the need to protect their company's image. Nike was among the few companies that chose to stand by Tiger Woods at his lowest point, though they too scaled back their use of him in advertising. The financial impact of these lost endorsements was staggering. It's been estimated that Tiger Woods lost nearly twenty two million dollars in sponsorship deals in twenty ten alone, a sharp decline from the ninety two million he had earned in endorsements the previous year. The loss of income was a blow to Tiger who had been the highest paid athlete in the world for several years running, but the financial hit paled in comparison to watching his life's work unravel. Tiger Woods is a born competitor, and at this point he was facing the monumental challenge of returning to golf amid controversy and reclaiming his place in the sport he dominated for more than a decade. His absence from the game left the void that was keenly felt by fans and the golfing community at large. Tournaments that at once relied on Tiger Woods to draw large crowds in television ratings suddenly found themselves struggling to generate a fraction of the interest. The PGA Tour, which had benefited enormously from Tiger Woods star power, experienced a noticeable dip in viewership and attendance during his hiatus. Sean McManus, the president of CBS Sports and News, told The New York Times, that golf could go on without Tiger Woods, but not for long without consequences. We've obviously done golf tournaments without Tiger before, Sewn explained, but we all know how much better they do when Tiger is playing well on the weekend. Will adjust, but I guess a lot of the impact will depend on what Tiger's definition of the word indefinite is. But even as many in the golf community pined for his return, Tiger's wife Elin wanted him gone. Tiger's sexual escapades, many of which had been conducted without protection, had demonstrated a gross lack of consideration for her physical well being and for their family's future. I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock, to anger and ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children, Elan told People magazine. On August twenty third, twenty ten, Tiger and Elan officially finalized their divorce at the Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Florida. In a joint statement released by Elin Nordegren's law firm McGuire Woods, the former couple expressed their sadness over the end of their marriage, but emphasized their mutual desire to move forward positively with their two children, Sam and Charlie as the priority. While we are no longer married, where the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been and will always be of paramount importance to both of us, the statement read. The divorce was reported to be one of the most expensive in history, with Elin Nordgren receiving a substantial settlement rumored to be around one hundred million dollars. As Tiger grappled with the end of his marriage, another set of challenges was waiting to unfold. Golf is a sport with a strong mental element. Focus is necessary for any champion. Many were questioning whether Tiger Woods could ever get his famous intensity back after everything that had gone down, would he ever compete again? In March twenty ten, Tiger provided an answer to this question at last, announcing that after a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta. The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played. And so the gauntlet was thrown down. The champion had returned and would be competing from April fifth through the eleventh, twenty ten at the Masters. The world was watching. While Tiger played respectably at the twenty ten Masters, he clearly lost some of his groove, falling short of the high standards synonymous with his name. He finished tied for fourth, a result that was both a testament to his talent coming off a hiatus, as well as a reminder that he still faced an uphill climb back to the top of his sport, and that climb would prove to be steeper than he imagined. In the years that followed, Tiger battled the series of debilitating injuries that severely impacted his ability to compete at the highest level. He underwent multiple surgeries on his back, and knee, leading to extended absences from the sport. Each comeback attempt after recovery was met with hope and anticipation, but time and again Tiger found himself sidelined by physical setbacks. His once feared presence on the golf course was replaced by uncertainty, as fans and analysts questioned whether he would ever regain his former glory. I might be done, he confessed to fellow Masters winners at the twenty seventeen Champions dinner before flying to Harley Street in London for a diagnosis that showed a back fusion would be needed for him to have any chance of playing golf. Ever, again, Tiger's body seemed to be against him, and he was on a constant cocktail of drugs to dull the pain. The pressure to succeed, coupled with constant physical pain and painkillers was a recipe for disaster. In the early hours of May twenty nine, twenty seventeen, Tiger Woods was arrested near his ninety seven hundred square foot estate in Jupiter, Florida, for driving under the influence. He was found asleep at the wheel of his Mercedes Bins, which was stopped in the middle of the road with the engine running. Tiger was taken into custody at approximately three am and was later charged with DUI. As news of Tiger's arrest spread, the public and media speculated that alcohol might have been involved. However, after being released on his own recognizance, Tiger quickly released a statement to clarify the situation, stating, I understand the severity of what I did, and I take full responsibility for my action. I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn't realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly. The arrest report revealed that Tiger Woods had indeed been under the influence of a potent drug cocktail. He had five different drugs in his system at the time he was picked up hydro codone and hydromorphone, which are both opioid pain medications, alpresilam, which is an anxiety drug known as xanax, zopidim which is a sleep drug known as ambient, and Delta nine CARBOXYTCHC, which is found in marijuana. Tiger had been trying to manage his excruciating back pain and insomnia, but the pills were a dangerous crutch. I realized now it was a mistake to do this without medical assistance, Tiger Woods admitted. Tiger Woods appeared in court on October twenty seven, two thousand and seven, to plead guilty to reckless driving. The judge, Sandra Bosso Pardo told him this particular plea agreement has no jail time on it. However, if you violate your probation in any significant way, I could revoke your probation and then I could sentence you to jail for ninety days with a fine of up to five hundred dollars. Is that understood? Tiger said he did understand and expressed deep regret for the incident. He vowed to take steps to ensure it wouldn't happen again, saying I would like to apologize with all my heart to my family, friends and the fans. I expect more from myself too. I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again. He also thanked the law enforcement officers involved, stating, I fully cooperate it with law enforcement, and I would like to personally thank the representatives of the Jupiter Police Department and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism. Despite the empathy many had for Tiger's physical challenges, the Duy incident was unhelpful in the middle of his comeback efforts. Narrative of Tiger Woods, golf's fallen hero dominated the headlines, with his struggles serving as a cautionary tale about the perils of fame and the fragility of even the most successful careers. But as his competitors know, there isn't any quit in Tiger Woods. He kept plugging away at his game. He kept his eye on the ball, and on April fourteenth, twenty nineteen, at age forty three, Tiger Woods achieved one of the most extraordinary comebacks in sports history by winning the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. This victory, his fifth Master's title and fifteenth major championship, came eleven years after his last major win and followed a decade marred by scandal, injury, and personal turmoil. The triumph at Augusta was a testament to tiger woods unparalleled skill and determination. They nineteen Masters truly was a tournament for the ages. Tiger entered the final round two shots behind the leader, Francesco Mullinari, and faced a packed leaderboard featuring some of the best players in the world. In true Tiger fashion, he played a masterful round of golf, capitalizing on the mistakes of his competitors while making clutch shots when it mattered most. As the round progressed, the momentum began to shift in Tiger's favor. His steady play and mental toughness in the closing holes were reminiscent of the Tiger Woods of old, the player who prowled the golf courses of the world, striking fear into his competitor's hearts. On the eighteenth green, after sinking the final putt to secure his victory, Tiger raised his arms in triumph, letting out a roar that echoed throughout Augusta National. The moment was electric, and the gallery erupted in celebration, recognizing the significance of what had just happened. This victory was more than just another title for Tiger Woods. It was a comeback story that was bigger than golf, capturing the imagination of sports fans around the world. As he walked off the green, Tiger embraced his children, a scene that brought full circle the journey he'd been on since his last major win in two thousand and eight. It's unreal for me to experience this, Tiger Wood said in an interview after his victory. It was one of the hardest I've ever had to win, just because of what's transpired the last couple of years. For many, the twenty nineteen Masters was a turning point that restored much of the luster to tiger woods tarnished legacy. It was as if, in that one moment all the years of scandal and injury were washed away, leaving behind only the image of a champion. The win had broader significance for the world of sports as well. It was a testament to why people love sports, the drama, the unpredictability, and the capacity for human achievement to inspire. But while the twenty nineteen Masters was undoubtedly a moment of immense triumph, it was not the end of Tiger Wood's story. The comeback of Augusta may have seen like the final chapter in his long road to redemption, but in reality, it was just another milestone in the life of ups and downs. Even as Tiger basked in the glory of his great win, the physical toll of his career and the consequences of his past were ever present. Just when it seemed that Tiger Woods was beginning to regain control of his life and career, another shocking incident occurred. On February twenty third, twenty twenty one, Tiger was involved in a severe car accident in Rancho Palas Verdas, California. They left him with serious leg injuries and once again thrust him into the headlines. Early that morning, Tiger Woods was driving his SUV when he approached the sharp curve in the road. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, instead of hitting the brakes, Tiger mistakingly accelerated, sending the vehicle into a high speed rollover. The SUV, which was traveling at speeds of up to eighty seven miles per hour and a forty five mile per hour zone, careened across the center divider, plowed through shrubbery, and struck a tree before coming to a stop. The impact was so severe that the vehicle was sent airborne, spinning before it landed on the side of the road. The crash data recorder from Tiger's vehicle revealed that there was no braking detected at the time of the crash, only acceleration. There is zero breaking on that data recorder. Captain James Powers of the Sheriff's Department explained, but there is ninety nine percent acceleration on the pedal. This suggested that Tiger mistook the gas pedal for the brake, leading to the devastating accident. Despite the severity of the crash, investigators determined that there was no no evidence of impairment or intoxication. Tiger would later state that he had not been drinking or taking any medication at the time of the accident, and due to his injuries, no field sobriety tests were conducted. He was immediately rushed to the Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery for multiple fractures in his legs. Tiger's injuries were so severe that for time there was concern about whether he would be able to walk again, let alone play golf. Tiger, who had likely assumed that his most difficult years were behind him, now faced one of the most challenging periods of his life. The severity of his injuries required multiple surgeries, including the insertion of a rod into his tibia and screws and pins to stabilize his foot and ankle. For a man who had already endured so many surgeries throughout his career, this was another daunting hurdle to overcome. As he worked on his physical recovery, Tiger provided occasional updates to the public, expressing gratitude for support, but offering little detailed about his progress, keeping the specifics of his physical health largely private. Tiger's dedication to rehabilitation was reminiscent of the discipline that had made him a champion in the first place. In December twenty twenty one, just ten months after the crash, Tiger Woods made a stunning return to competitive golf at the P and C Championship, a family oriented tournament where he played alongside his son, Charlie. The event marked Tiger's first competitive rounds since the accident, and although it was a low stakes, friendly competition, his participation was a powerful statement. The site of Tiger Woods swinging a golf club again, even if at a reduced capacity, reignited hope among fans that he could make a more substantial return to the sport. Tiger and Charlie finished second, with Tigers showing flashes of the brilliant play that had defined his career. As of twenty twenty four, Tiger Woods remains a figure of immense interest and admiration in the world of golf. He seems to have achieved redemption from the scandals of his earlier career, including forgiveness from his ex wife, Elin Nordegren. According to multiple sources, the two are now best friends and epitomized top notch co parenting. Having the relationship that I have now with Elin is fantastic, Tiger gush to us weekly. She's one of my best friends. We're able to pick up the phone. We talk to each other all the time. We both know that the most important things in our lives are our kids. So while Tiger Woods may never return to full time competition, it seems he has anchored the greatest prize his family and that he will continue to be involved in the sport he loves through hosting tournaments like the Hero World Challenge and mentoring younger players. His participation in select events such as the Masters and the p N Championship will always cause a stir and forever demonstrate his enduring commitment to the game, even as his physical capabilities have been significantly reduced. Tiger Wood's journey is one of the most compelling narratives in the story of sports. What makes his story truly remarkable is not just his rise or his fall, but his ability to rise again. Tiger's comeback, culminating in that unforgettable victory at the twenty nineteen Masters, was nothing short of extraordinary. It was a testament to his resilience, his unwavering determination, and his ability to learn from the past and move forward. Tiger Wood's legacy is complex. He is a symbol of greatness, a reminder of human frailty, and an example of the power of redemption. In the end, Tiger Woods has shown us that no one is perfect, and that our true care arter is revealed not in how we handle success, but in how we respond to failure. As the great American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne once pinned, no man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true. Tiger Woods is one of my all time favorite tales on tap. I am honored to be your host, Jay Harris, thank you so much for joining me and never missing the dirt this has been Playing Dirty Sports Scandals. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production of Dan Patrick Productions, Never Ever Productions, and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick, Paul Anderson, Nick Panela, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted by Jay Harris, Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francy Haiks, my Eglictment and Jennifer Clare.

Welcome back to playing dirty sports Scandals. I'm your host and barista extraordinaire, Jay Harris. Today I'm serving up the story of one of the most iconic athletes of all time, Tiger Woods, a name synonymous with epic achievement. Tiger Woods revolutionized the sport of golf and became a cultural phenomenon. But just as prune and grapefruit fusion blends hit the big time before becoming a dark note in most people's recipe books, Tiger woods meteoric trajectory would be marred by scandal. Meh, Yeah, the heyday of prune and grapefruit blends is over for a reason. That's just h But what was the reason Tiger Woods starred in From the outset, it seemed unimaginable that Tiger would miss his shot at consistent professional and personal greatness. Born as Eldrick Tant Woods on December thirtieth, nineteen seventy five, in Cypress, California, Tiger quickly proved worthy of his ferocious nickname under the guidance of his driven father, Earl Woods. Earl was a retired U. S. Army officer and named his son after his friend South Vietnamese colonel of Wangdong Fong, known as Tiger Fong. I never knew him as Tiger Pong. Tiger Woods would later explain, my father would talk about him so much. He was tiger Ie, the first Tiger. It was important to Earl Woods that his son live up to his namesake, and it became apparent early on that this kid had the natural talent to do so. Earl recognized Tiger's athletic potential around the same time most new parents are thrilled to just see their little one sitting up independently. When Tiger was ten months old, I unstrapped him out of his high chair one day and he walked over and hit the ball. Earl would later recall in the HBO documentary, Tiger I said, Oh my god, I've got something special. Earle wasn't wrong, and he was certainly determined to help his son fulfill his potential. Tiger's mother, called Tita Woods, who goes by Tita, is originally from Thailand and made Earle's parental enthusiasm look tame. Tiger confessed to USA Today in twenty seventeen that his mother, Tita was the enforcer. My dad may have been in the Special Forces, Tiger said, but I was never afraid of him. My mom's still here and I'm still deathly afraid of her. She's a very tough, tough lady, very demanding. I love her so much, but she was tough. The combination of Earl and Tita as his parents, plus his incredible natural athleticism, made Tiger Woods a competitor out to Gate at just eighteen months old. Earl took Tiger to the practice range for the first time, where he emptied an entire bucket of balls using a cut down iron. Soon after, Tiger played his first hole, a par four four hundred and ten yard challenge, where he recorded an eleven. For you who are not golf officiados, that is a remarkable feat for someone so young and for some of us who are not so young. By the time Tiger was two years old, he was already capturing significant media attention. Los Angeles sports anchor Jim Hill featured him in a segment declaring, this young man is going to be to golf what Jimmy Connors and Chris Everett are to tennis. Tiger was also on The Mike Douglas Show, where he wowed audiences by putting on an exhibition alongside comedian Bob Hope at three years old, when most kids are first learning how to catch a ball and dress themselves, Tiger broke fifty on nine holes for the first time, shooting a forty eight on the Destroyer course at the Navy Facility. To put this into perspective, it's an achievement that even golf legends like Jack Nicholas didn't accomplish until they were much older. Earl and Tita had a full time force of nature on their hands with toddler Tiger, and they knew he needed professional guidance. Tiger's parents found him his first pro golf teacher, Rudy Durant, in nineteen eighty. Back then, Rudy was an assistant pro at Hartwell Golf Course, a collection of petit par three's in Long Beach, California. He ran a junior golf program for one hundred kids, and when Tiger showed up as his youngest participant, Rudy didn't know what to expect, but it didn't take long for tiny Tiger to become Rudy Durand's biggest focus. The coach remembers being immediately impressed, saying he was blown away by Tiger's swing. And it wasn't just Tiger's skills that far exceeded his years. His fiercely competitive nature began to emerge as well. His mother Tita, observed that he would quote show a bit of temper when he didn't make a part, and Rudy duran told golf dot Com how Tiger would be frustrated by his physical limitations at four and a half years old, turning to strategy to overcome his age related challenges. By the time he was five years old, Tiger Woods had his first set of clubs properly fitted by Rudy Durant, and he was ready to take his game to the next level. Tiger's accomplishments piled up. At age six, he played in a two hole exhibition with golf legend Sam Snead, finishing just one stroke behind him. He then entered the Optimist Junior World ten and Under division in San Diego, where he finished eighth out of a field of one hundred and fifty. At age eight, Tiger won his first Optimist Junior World title. He would win it again at age nine. There was no doubt about it. Tiger Woods was a bonafide golf prodigy before his tenth birthday. Everyone saw greatness written into his future. Even a Buddhist monk on a family trip to Thailand would tell Tita that her son was special. As Tiger grew, his talent grew with him. He dominated the junior golf circuit, winning the Optimist International Junior Championship six times, and at just fifteen years old, he became the youngest ever US Junior Amateur champion. On the heels of this achievement, Tiger won three consecutive US Junior Amateur titles, followed by three US Amateur titles, a feat no one had accomplished before. It felt as if there weren't enough awards yet created for Tiger Woods to win. The teenager was simply unstoppable. Even the golf legend Byron Nelson, after seeing Tiger play, would gush to fellow legend Tom Watson, I've seen Ben, Jack, Nicholas, and you. I've seen them all, Tom. This young fellow has no weaknesses. These were proved to be loaded words in later years, but as Tiger bordered on adulthood, He's seen in his natural habitat on a pedestal. Unsurprisingly, Tiger Woods was heavily recruited by colleges. He chose Stanford University, the nineteen ninety four NCAA champion, and enrolled there in the fall of nineteen ninety four under a golf scholarship. His first collegiate tournament was the fortieth annual William H. Tucker Invitational, and just as everyone expected him to, he won. While Tiger only spent two years playing for Stanford before leaving college to turn pro, he would describe it as one of the best times in his life, saying, I really enjoyed being stimulated by the students and professors. Some were geniuses and others were Olympic athletes. It's amazing how well rounded they are. That's what's so cool about it. I must soak up that experience. According to his Stanford friend Casey Martin, college really was an opportunity for Tiger to soak up normal, age appropriate activities for the first time in his life. Casey told Golf Digest, I love Tiger. He's the greatest at his sport, maybe ever, but I'll never forget one time a bunch of us were having a grand time watching Tiger dance. You know a guy that's so dominant, you've got to bring him down a little. You've got to look for his weaknesses and really expose it. I think we found it at Stanford Dancing. It's a bad deal. Ha. But while Tiger Woods may have stood out in a bad way for his terrible dancing, he stood out in a positive way as a black trailblazer in golf. Golf is a predominantly white sport. Even today, The National Golf Foundation reports that just three percent of all recreational golf players are black, and only one point five five percent of competitive golfers are black. A handful of athletes have paved the way for Tiger's dominance, golfers like Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, and Calvin Pete. Charlie Sifford, often referred to as the Jackie Robinson of golf, broke the color barrier on the PGA Tour in nineteen sixty one, enduring significant racism and prejudice to create opportunity for future generations. While Charlie would declare his endless love of golf, he would also say I don't smile much and I never laugh. If you'd been through what I've been through, you wouldn't be smiling either. Tiger Woods would later make clear the impact Charlie's trailblazing had on his own life by naming his son after him. In fact, Tiger called Charlie Siffert the grandpa I never had, and said that had Charlie not broken the PGA color barrier, he might never have played golf. My dad would have never picked up the game without Charlie as a role model, Tiger explained similarly, Lee Elder came the first black offer to play in the Masters Tournament in nineteen seventy five. This was a momentous event that challenged the segregationist history of the sport and especially of Augusta National Golf Course. It was also an event riddled with fear for Lee, who put his personal safety on the line to participate. Leading up to the tournament, Lee received large amounts of hate mail, and during the week of the tournament, he rented two houses in town and kept moving between them to make his whereabouts difficult to nail down. It was very nerve racking, Lee would tell CNN later, I was shaking so badly. I did not know if I was even going to be able to tee up the ball, but Lee persisted and laid yet another stepping stone for Calvin Pete, who won twelve PGA Tour events in the nineteen eighties. Calvin would be the most successful Black offer until Tiger Woods came on the scene. Tiger Woods rise to fame in the nineteen nine and he's brought a new level of visibility and inclusivity to the sport. His impact was immediate and undeniable. By the time Tiger turned pro in nineteen ninety six, the world was already watching closely. Within a year, he had won his first major championship at the nineteen ninety seven Masters, by a record breaking twelve strokes, becoming the youngest Master's champion in history at just twenty one years old. Tiger Woods was not only following in the footsteps of Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder and Calvin Pete, he was transcending the sport, becoming a global icon and inspiring a new generation of golfers from diverse backgrounds. With his signature fist pump and incredible intensity, Tiger not only won tournaments, he captured the imagination of fans around the world. Over the next decade, Tiger became the fastest player to win fifty tournaments on the PGA Tour, and by two thousand and one, he had completed what was to become known as the Tiger Slam by holding all four major titles from the Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, US Open, and the Open Championship at the same time. This was an unprecedented achievement. This combination of power, precision, and mental strength made him nearly unbeatable, and Tiger Woods became a household name, not just in golf, but in sports and popular culture at large. Lucrative endorsement deals with major brands like Nike and titleists naturally flowed to Tiger, making him a very wealthy man while simultaneously bringing golf into the mainstream. Tiger Woods was on top of the world, but as we've explored time and time again on playing dirty meteoric rises come with tremendous pressure. The expectations placed on Tiger by his parents in the world were immense. As the victories piled up, so did the demands on his time, his body, and his psyche. It would be the same relentless drive that pushed Tiger to the top of the golf world that would ultimately contribute to his dramatic and scandalous fall. On the evening of November twenty seventh, two thousand and nine, the sports world was rocked by breaking news that Tiger Woods, this seemingly invincible golf icon, had been involved in a car accident outside his home in Windermere, Florida. What was initially reported to be a minor traffic incident was soon revealed to be something much more complex and sensational. Tiger Woods, driving his Cadillac Escalator around two thirty am, had struck a fire hydrant and a tree just a few yards from his driveway. How could this happen to such a controlled and disciplined athlete. It's difficult to imagine that the golfer who unleashed a two hundred and eighteen yard Masters stroke from a pile of wet sand at the two thousand RBC Canadian Open would struggle to park. People didn't buy it, and as the hours and days passed, the narrative surrounding the incident began to shift, as relentless questions poured in why had Tiger Woods been leaving his home at such an odd hour? Why had Tiger's wife at the time, model Elin Nordegren, used a golf club to smash the back window of the vehicle to help her husband escape from a low impact crash. Why had Tigers sustained facial injuries? What was going on with golf scolden boy. In the days and weeks that followed, the carefully guarded facade of Tiger Wood's life began to unravel at an alarming rate. Reports started surfacing that the crash was not just a simple accident that it created thirty two hundred dollars in residential property damage, but rather the culmination of a heated argument between Tiger and Elin. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren seemed to be the couple who had it all. They met during the two thousand and one British Open. Elan was working as a nanny for Swedish golfer Yesper Parnavic's family, and Tiger quickly took notice, recognizing her as the true grand prize. According to Jesper's wife, Mia Parnavik, Elan had no interest in Tiger and he was okay with that. There was a big line of single golfers wanting to meet her. They were gaga over her, but Tiger Woods never backed down from a challenge, so he pulled out his famous long game to wu Elan, finally getting her to say yes to his proposal at the Shamwari Game Reserve in November two thousand and three. On October fifth, two thousand and four, the couple married at the Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados. Tiger rented the entire complex for a week at a cost of almost two million dollars in honor of the celebration. This included exclusive access to three golf courses and all one hundred ten rooms. The wedding went great of beaming Tiger Woods set after the ceremony. It was a very special occasion. We just had a great time with all the families there, and then it seemed to the outside world that the great times kept right on rolling for Tiger and Elin. They lived in a seven nine hundred and forty square foot multi million dollar mansion in a gated community. They welcomed two beautiful, healthy children, first a daughter, sam Alexis Woods, on June eighteenth, two thousand and seven, and then a son, Charlie Axelwoods, on February eighth, two thousand and nine. It's great when you see people who've been married for twenty thirty forty years and they're still in love. That's what I want for Elin and I, Tiger told People magazine. It really seemed that Tiger Woods was not just a phenomenal golfer, but all so an incredible husband and father. But his car crash on November twenty seven, two thousand and nine, exposed a double life. Journalists were quick to uncover that Tiger and Elan had had an argument the previous evening on Thanksgiving Day about his infidelity. Allegedly, Elin discovered romantic text messages between her husband and Rachel Yukuatel, the director of VIP operations for New York City's Tow nightclub. Elan called the number associated with the text and, expecting to hear Tiger on the other end of the line. Rachel answered the phone saying something like hey babe. Not only was this confirmation of Tiger's stepping out on her, but Elin apparently found communications with other mistresses on his phone. The man whom everyone thought could do no wrong had apparently been playing very dirty. According to Tiger Woods's biographer, James Patterson. Elan woke Tiger up and confronted him about his affairs. At this point, Tiger locked himself in the bathroom for a short time before rushing out of his house and into his Cadillac, where he crashed it just one hundred and fifty yards away. The image of Tiger Woods as a devoted family man and clean cut athlete was forever tarnished. As word got out, women lined up to claim they'd had affairs with the golf superstar. Rachel Yu could tell herself would say, I knew him to be cheating on his wife from the first time I met him, well before we got together. Facing mounting pressure and public outrage, Tiger Woods broke his silence on December two, two thousand and nine, releasing a statement on his website acknowledging that he had quote let his family down and expressing regret for his quote transgressions. He further announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from professional golf to focus on his family. It was a decision that shocked the sports world, especially since the media had been talking of how close Tiger Woods was to beating the record of icon Jack Nicholas, who'd won eighteen major championships in his illustrious career, it seemed inevitable that Tiger would overtake Jack, But now on the heels of personal crisis, golf fans were left wondering if the most influential golfer of a generation would ever compete again. As we all know, scandalous SIPs always come with an aftertaste. There was no chance the press stepping back to give Tiger an eel in privacy in their darkest days, and there was no doubt that the full story would eventually be spilled for public consumption. The New York Post soon reported that Tiger Woods cheated with quote as many as one hundred and twenty women behind his wife's back during their five year marriage, from diner waitress Mindy Lawton to porn star Holly Sampson, with whom he had sex the night of his bachelor party, to exotic dancer Corey Wrist. But it was the discovery of a one night stand with the twenty one year old daughter of a neighbor that was the final straw for Elin Nordegrend. The National Inquirer delved deeply into this particular portrayal, claiming that Elan decided to sign divorce papers after learning about Tiger's alleged fling with a neighbor's daughter, Rachel Coudre, whom he had reportedly known since he was just fourteen years old. As the scandal continued to dominate headlines and Elan moved ever closer toward the exit, Tiger Woods faced increasing pressure to address the unfolding situation more fully, so on February nineteenth, twenty ten, Tiger held a highly publicized press conference at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponavidra Beach, Florida. It was his first public appearance since the scandal broke, and millions tuned in to hear what he had to say. Here, he faced the world's media and a select group of friends and family, including his mother Tita, who sat stoically in the front row. During the thirteen minute statement, Tiger admitted to his infidelity, stating I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated. He went on to express deep regret for his actions, saying I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. Tiger acknowledged that he had stopped living by the core values talked to him by his parents, and that his behavior was not acceptable. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled thanks to money and fame. I didn't have to go far to find them. While the apology was a pivotal moment in the scandal, it did little to stem the tide of public criticism and personal fallout for Tiger. He retreatd to Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for sex rehab as his sponsors, like Jellette, Gatorade, and Accentua jumped ship. Accentia was the first to severtize, announcing in December two thousand and nine the Tiger Woods was no longer the right representative for their brand. Gellette followed suit, stating that they would be phasing Tiger out of their marketing campaigns. Gatorade, which had already discontinued its Tiger Focus drink two days before the scandal broke, formally ended its relationship with the Fall and Golfer in early twenty ten, At and t Another of tiger woods high profile sponsors, also dropped him, citing the need to protect their company's image. Nike was among the few companies that chose to stand by Tiger Woods at his lowest point, though they too scaled back their use of him in advertising. The financial impact of these lost endorsements was staggering. It's been estimated that Tiger Woods lost nearly twenty two million dollars in sponsorship deals in twenty ten alone, a sharp decline from the ninety two million he had earned in endorsements the previous year. The loss of income was a blow to Tiger who had been the highest paid athlete in the world for several years running, but the financial hit paled in comparison to watching his life's work unravel. Tiger Woods is a born competitor, and at this point he was facing the monumental challenge of returning to golf amid controversy and reclaiming his place in the sport he dominated for more than a decade. His absence from the game left the void that was keenly felt by fans and the golfing community at large. Tournaments that at once relied on Tiger Woods to draw large crowds in television ratings suddenly found themselves struggling to generate a fraction of the interest. The PGA Tour, which had benefited enormously from Tiger Woods star power, experienced a noticeable dip in viewership and attendance during his hiatus. Sean McManus, the president of CBS Sports and News, told The New York Times, that golf could go on without Tiger Woods, but not for long without consequences. We've obviously done golf tournaments without Tiger before, Sewn explained, but we all know how much better they do when Tiger is playing well on the weekend. Will adjust, but I guess a lot of the impact will depend on what Tiger's definition of the word indefinite is. But even as many in the golf community pined for his return, Tiger's wife Elin wanted him gone. Tiger's sexual escapades, many of which had been conducted without protection, had demonstrated a gross lack of consideration for her physical well being and for their family's future. I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock, to anger and ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children, Elan told People magazine. On August twenty third, twenty ten, Tiger and Elan officially finalized their divorce at the Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Florida. In a joint statement released by Elin Nordegren's law firm McGuire Woods, the former couple expressed their sadness over the end of their marriage, but emphasized their mutual desire to move forward positively with their two children, Sam and Charlie as the priority. While we are no longer married, where the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been and will always be of paramount importance to both of us, the statement read. The divorce was reported to be one of the most expensive in history, with Elin Nordgren receiving a substantial settlement rumored to be around one hundred million dollars. As Tiger grappled with the end of his marriage, another set of challenges was waiting to unfold. Golf is a sport with a strong mental element. Focus is necessary for any champion. Many were questioning whether Tiger Woods could ever get his famous intensity back after everything that had gone down, would he ever compete again? In March twenty ten, Tiger provided an answer to this question at last, announcing that after a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta. The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played. And so the gauntlet was thrown down. The champion had returned and would be competing from April fifth through the eleventh, twenty ten at the Masters. The world was watching. While Tiger played respectably at the twenty ten Masters, he clearly lost some of his groove, falling short of the high standards synonymous with his name. He finished tied for fourth, a result that was both a testament to his talent coming off a hiatus, as well as a reminder that he still faced an uphill climb back to the top of his sport, and that climb would prove to be steeper than he imagined. In the years that followed, Tiger battled the series of debilitating injuries that severely impacted his ability to compete at the highest level. He underwent multiple surgeries on his back, and knee, leading to extended absences from the sport. Each comeback attempt after recovery was met with hope and anticipation, but time and again Tiger found himself sidelined by physical setbacks. His once feared presence on the golf course was replaced by uncertainty, as fans and analysts questioned whether he would ever regain his former glory. I might be done, he confessed to fellow Masters winners at the twenty seventeen Champions dinner before flying to Harley Street in London for a diagnosis that showed a back fusion would be needed for him to have any chance of playing golf. Ever, again, Tiger's body seemed to be against him, and he was on a constant cocktail of drugs to dull the pain. The pressure to succeed, coupled with constant physical pain and painkillers was a recipe for disaster. In the early hours of May twenty nine, twenty seventeen, Tiger Woods was arrested near his ninety seven hundred square foot estate in Jupiter, Florida, for driving under the influence. He was found asleep at the wheel of his Mercedes Bins, which was stopped in the middle of the road with the engine running. Tiger was taken into custody at approximately three am and was later charged with DUI. As news of Tiger's arrest spread, the public and media speculated that alcohol might have been involved. However, after being released on his own recognizance, Tiger quickly released a statement to clarify the situation, stating, I understand the severity of what I did, and I take full responsibility for my action. I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn't realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly. The arrest report revealed that Tiger Woods had indeed been under the influence of a potent drug cocktail. He had five different drugs in his system at the time he was picked up hydro codone and hydromorphone, which are both opioid pain medications, alpresilam, which is an anxiety drug known as xanax, zopidim which is a sleep drug known as ambient, and Delta nine CARBOXYTCHC, which is found in marijuana. Tiger had been trying to manage his excruciating back pain and insomnia, but the pills were a dangerous crutch. I realized now it was a mistake to do this without medical assistance, Tiger Woods admitted. Tiger Woods appeared in court on October twenty seven, two thousand and seven, to plead guilty to reckless driving. The judge, Sandra Bosso Pardo told him this particular plea agreement has no jail time on it. However, if you violate your probation in any significant way, I could revoke your probation and then I could sentence you to jail for ninety days with a fine of up to five hundred dollars. Is that understood? Tiger said he did understand and expressed deep regret for the incident. He vowed to take steps to ensure it wouldn't happen again, saying I would like to apologize with all my heart to my family, friends and the fans. I expect more from myself too. I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again. He also thanked the law enforcement officers involved, stating, I fully cooperate it with law enforcement, and I would like to personally thank the representatives of the Jupiter Police Department and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism. Despite the empathy many had for Tiger's physical challenges, the Duy incident was unhelpful in the middle of his comeback efforts. Narrative of Tiger Woods, golf's fallen hero dominated the headlines, with his struggles serving as a cautionary tale about the perils of fame and the fragility of even the most successful careers. But as his competitors know, there isn't any quit in Tiger Woods. He kept plugging away at his game. He kept his eye on the ball, and on April fourteenth, twenty nineteen, at age forty three, Tiger Woods achieved one of the most extraordinary comebacks in sports history by winning the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. This victory, his fifth Master's title and fifteenth major championship, came eleven years after his last major win and followed a decade marred by scandal, injury, and personal turmoil. The triumph at Augusta was a testament to tiger woods unparalleled skill and determination. They nineteen Masters truly was a tournament for the ages. Tiger entered the final round two shots behind the leader, Francesco Mullinari, and faced a packed leaderboard featuring some of the best players in the world. In true Tiger fashion, he played a masterful round of golf, capitalizing on the mistakes of his competitors while making clutch shots when it mattered most. As the round progressed, the momentum began to shift in Tiger's favor. His steady play and mental toughness in the closing holes were reminiscent of the Tiger Woods of old, the player who prowled the golf courses of the world, striking fear into his competitor's hearts. On the eighteenth green, after sinking the final putt to secure his victory, Tiger raised his arms in triumph, letting out a roar that echoed throughout Augusta National. The moment was electric, and the gallery erupted in celebration, recognizing the significance of what had just happened. This victory was more than just another title for Tiger Woods. It was a comeback story that was bigger than golf, capturing the imagination of sports fans around the world. As he walked off the green, Tiger embraced his children, a scene that brought full circle the journey he'd been on since his last major win in two thousand and eight. It's unreal for me to experience this, Tiger Wood said in an interview after his victory. It was one of the hardest I've ever had to win, just because of what's transpired the last couple of years. For many, the twenty nineteen Masters was a turning point that restored much of the luster to tiger woods tarnished legacy. It was as if, in that one moment all the years of scandal and injury were washed away, leaving behind only the image of a champion. The win had broader significance for the world of sports as well. It was a testament to why people love sports, the drama, the unpredictability, and the capacity for human achievement to inspire. But while the twenty nineteen Masters was undoubtedly a moment of immense triumph, it was not the end of Tiger Wood's story. The comeback of Augusta may have seen like the final chapter in his long road to redemption, but in reality, it was just another milestone in the life of ups and downs. Even as Tiger basked in the glory of his great win, the physical toll of his career and the consequences of his past were ever present. Just when it seemed that Tiger Woods was beginning to regain control of his life and career, another shocking incident occurred. On February twenty third, twenty twenty one, Tiger was involved in a severe car accident in Rancho Palas Verdas, California. They left him with serious leg injuries and once again thrust him into the headlines. Early that morning, Tiger Woods was driving his SUV when he approached the sharp curve in the road. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, instead of hitting the brakes, Tiger mistakingly accelerated, sending the vehicle into a high speed rollover. The SUV, which was traveling at speeds of up to eighty seven miles per hour and a forty five mile per hour zone, careened across the center divider, plowed through shrubbery, and struck a tree before coming to a stop. The impact was so severe that the vehicle was sent airborne, spinning before it landed on the side of the road. The crash data recorder from Tiger's vehicle revealed that there was no braking detected at the time of the crash, only acceleration. There is zero breaking on that data recorder. Captain James Powers of the Sheriff's Department explained, but there is ninety nine percent acceleration on the pedal. This suggested that Tiger mistook the gas pedal for the brake, leading to the devastating accident. Despite the severity of the crash, investigators determined that there was no no evidence of impairment or intoxication. Tiger would later state that he had not been drinking or taking any medication at the time of the accident, and due to his injuries, no field sobriety tests were conducted. He was immediately rushed to the Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery for multiple fractures in his legs. Tiger's injuries were so severe that for time there was concern about whether he would be able to walk again, let alone play golf. Tiger, who had likely assumed that his most difficult years were behind him, now faced one of the most challenging periods of his life. The severity of his injuries required multiple surgeries, including the insertion of a rod into his tibia and screws and pins to stabilize his foot and ankle. For a man who had already endured so many surgeries throughout his career, this was another daunting hurdle to overcome. As he worked on his physical recovery, Tiger provided occasional updates to the public, expressing gratitude for support, but offering little detailed about his progress, keeping the specifics of his physical health largely private. Tiger's dedication to rehabilitation was reminiscent of the discipline that had made him a champion in the first place. In December twenty twenty one, just ten months after the crash, Tiger Woods made a stunning return to competitive golf at the P and C Championship, a family oriented tournament where he played alongside his son, Charlie. The event marked Tiger's first competitive rounds since the accident, and although it was a low stakes, friendly competition, his participation was a powerful statement. The site of Tiger Woods swinging a golf club again, even if at a reduced capacity, reignited hope among fans that he could make a more substantial return to the sport. Tiger and Charlie finished second, with Tigers showing flashes of the brilliant play that had defined his career. As of twenty twenty four, Tiger Woods remains a figure of immense interest and admiration in the world of golf. He seems to have achieved redemption from the scandals of his earlier career, including forgiveness from his ex wife, Elin Nordegren. According to multiple sources, the two are now best friends and epitomized top notch co parenting. Having the relationship that I have now with Elin is fantastic, Tiger gush to us weekly. She's one of my best friends. We're able to pick up the phone. We talk to each other all the time. We both know that the most important things in our lives are our kids. So while Tiger Woods may never return to full time competition, it seems he has anchored the greatest prize his family and that he will continue to be involved in the sport he loves through hosting tournaments like the Hero World Challenge and mentoring younger players. His participation in select events such as the Masters and the p N Championship will always cause a stir and forever demonstrate his enduring commitment to the game, even as his physical capabilities have been significantly reduced. Tiger Wood's journey is one of the most compelling narratives in the story of sports. What makes his story truly remarkable is not just his rise or his fall, but his ability to rise again. Tiger's comeback, culminating in that unforgettable victory at the twenty nineteen Masters, was nothing short of extraordinary. It was a testament to his resilience, his unwavering determination, and his ability to learn from the past and move forward. Tiger Wood's legacy is complex. He is a symbol of greatness, a reminder of human frailty, and an example of the power of redemption. In the end, Tiger Woods has shown us that no one is perfect, and that our true care arter is revealed not in how we handle success, but in how we respond to failure. As the great American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne once pinned, no man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true. Tiger Woods is one of my all time favorite tales on tap. I am honored to be your host, Jay Harris, thank you so much for joining me and never missing the dirt this has been Playing Dirty Sports Scandals. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production of Dan Patrick Productions, Never Ever Productions, and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick, Paul Anderson, Nick Panela, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted by Jay Harris, Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francy Haiks, my Eglictment and Jennifer Clare.