Tiger Woods Honors Veterans on Memorial Day

Tiger Woods shared a heartfelt message on Memorial Day, recognizing those who have made significant sacrifices for the country. He expressed his appreciation on social media, also highlighting the service of his late father, Earl Woods, who was a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War.

Woods mentioned, “My father was a Special Forces operator with two tours in Vietnam and 20 years of service. To all those like my father, we all say thank you for your sacrifices. Without them, we wouldn’t have the greatest country on Earth.” Earl Woods passed away in May 2006 at the age of 74.

Prior to this message, Woods had not been heard from publicly since announcing on March 31 his decision to take some time off. This announcement followed a car accident and subsequent DUI arrest in Florida on March 27. In that incident, Woods was charged with two misdemeanors: DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Two breathalyzer tests showed 0.00 alcohol level, but he was charged for not submitting a urine test.

After the incident, Woods was allowed to travel abroad starting April 1 to seek comprehensive inpatient treatment. He returned to Florida earlier this month, but his private plane reportedly went back to Switzerland, indicating continued rehabilitation efforts. It is still unclear why Woods briefly returned to Florida, though this coincided with personal events in the life of his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump.

Vanessa Trump, who is connected to former President Donald Trump as a former daughter-in-law, recently disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis. She called Woods her “strength” in a social media post regarding her health challenge. Woods and Vanessa announced their relationship in March 2025. Since the 2024 Open Championship in Scotland, Woods has not participated in competitive golf.