Tiger Woods is expected to remain in a specialist rehabilitation facility in Switzerland through the end of June, according to sources speaking to PEOPLE, with his return to competitive golf still uncertain and no timeline set.
The 50-year-old entered the program after a rollover car crash and DUI arrest in Florida at the end of March. An insider with knowledge of Woods’ situation said the original plan called for roughly three months of treatment, and that it “should stay on target unless something major changes.”
Woods has not played a competitive PGA Tour event since missing the cut at The Open at Royal Troon in July 2024, meaning any comeback would follow an absence of at least two years.
Recovery Under Pressure
A source described the strain surrounding Woods’ rehabilitation, citing both physical recovery and pending legal proceedings.
“Tiger is doing the best he can with all of the pressure on him with healing and also the legal issues he faces in coming months,” the source said. “This has created a great deal of stress.”
Woods publicly acknowledged the severity of his situation in a statement posted to social media on March 31, shortly after the arrest.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
His private jet landed in Zurich on April 3, according to Yahoo Sports. He briefly returned to Florida in mid-May before travelling back to Switzerland to continue treatment, multiple outlets reported.
The March Crash and Arrest
According to police affidavits reported by CNBC, NBC News, and The Washington Times, the crash happened just before 2 p.m. near South Beach Road in Jupiter Island after Woods said he looked down at his phone. His Land Rover clipped a pickup truck hauling a trailer and rolled onto its driver’s side.
Officers described Woods as having bloodshot, glassy eyes and extremely dilated pupils, and as sweating profusely. Two hydrocodone pills were found in his left pants pocket, and Woods told officers he had taken prescription medications earlier in the day, including Vicodin along with blood pressure and cholesterol drugs.
A breath test found no alcohol in his system, but Woods refused a urine test. He was charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He pleaded not guilty. It was his second DUI-related arrest in Florida, following a 2017 incident.
Competitive Outlook
Sources told PEOPLE that Woods remains determined to play again, though any return is viewed as a long-term goal.
“I don’t know when it will be or how he will do it, but Tiger is determined to return,” a source said. “He has to get his pain management going in the right direction and also be able to continue a fitness routine, which will help him do the best he can when seriously playing golf. This could be tough. But it’s something he wants.”
The 82-time PGA Tour winner has undergone extensive surgery over the past decade, and pain management has been an ongoing challenge. Even before the March crash, Woods had been largely absent from competition, with his appearances limited to a handful of events per year.
Personal Circumstances
Woods’ recovery has coincided with a difficult period for his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, who disclosed a breast cancer diagnosis in an Instagram post in May. PEOPLE reported that Woods briefly returned to Florida to support her before resuming treatment in Switzerland.
“They talk and share their lives as they have been doing for the entire time they have been together,” an insider said. “Tiger is a caring family guy and supportive. And so is Vanessa, also a strong woman with a full plate every day of her life.”
Sources close to the situation say Woods’ immediate focus remains on stabilizing his recovery and rebuilding his conditioning, with any return to PGA Tour competition dependent on his physical progress.
