4 Times Tiger Woods' Oversized Ego Was Put On Blast

There is no denying that Tiger Woods is one of the best golfers the world has ever seen. As a dozen-plus major winner, his talent has been proven time and time again. Given his legendary status, it is no wonder that Woods has developed an ego even larger than his $1.3 billion net worth.  However, his off-putting arrogance hasn't going unnoticed by his peers or the general public. 

One egotistical scandal came after his March 2026 car crash and DUI arrest in Jupiter, Florida. Woods' DUI crash news got a telling reaction from Donald Trump after the golfer called the president during his arrest. "I feel so badly. He's got some difficulties," Trump told reporters soon after the accident (via Yahoo! Sports). "There was an accident, that's all I know. He's a very close friend of mine. He's an amazing person, amazing man, but some difficulties."

While Vanessa Trump reportedly put Tiger Woods in the dog house after his DUI scandal, online users and peers continued to hold the golf legend accountable for not learning from his past mistakes. "Do I blame him for taking something to help him sleep? No. But I don't think he should drive a car," fellow pro golfer Gary Player told Golf.com. He added, "When you're taking that medicine, it's dangerous when you're driving a car. ... So I think all he's got to do is just not drive a car and get a chauffeur." Users on Reddit echoed this sentiment on a thread regarding Woods' refusal to hire a private driver. "He's rich enough to just hire a licensed attorney as a driver and claim client-attorney privilege," one user pointed out. While his large ego around driving has made a lot of headlines, it's far from the only prideful moment the golfer has had over the years.

After his 2026 run-in with law enforcement, even long-time fans were starting to think Tiger Woods needs a break from his fame. On March 27, 2026, Woods was in a rollover crash in his Land Rover, rearending a pressure cleaning trailer being pulled by a pickup truck near his home in Jupiter, Florida. Per TMZ Sports, authorities said Woods showed "severe signs of impairment," including bloodshot eyes, extremely dilated pupils, and profuse sweating, which were noted in his arrest affidavit.

In body footage obtained and circulated by TMZ Sports, Woods appeared to be defying officers while being on the phone with President Donald Trump. "Thank you so much. All right. You got it. Bye," Woods can be heard saying on the phone while officers tried to call him over to the crash scene. When officers asked him to stay nearby, Woods replied, "Yeah, I was just speaking with the president." The snarky comment seemed distasteful given the circumstances, making it appear like he was trying to weaponize his personal relationship with the president to be above the law. 

Users were quick to call out Woods' shameless attempt at receiving special treatment. "WOODS deserves a lengthy jail sentence followed by some substance abuse treatment. This dude needs to be held accountable just like a regular civilian that breaks the law," an X user commented on TMZ's video. "That's fraudulent. He should face the consequences of his actions without trying to high arm his way out," another user added. Given the PR nightmare that ensued, Woods later stated he was taking a break from his usual activities after being wrapped up in controversy. "I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health," he said, per ESPN. 

Tiger Woods is so infamous for his car accidents and DUI arrests that his latest arrest in 2026 spurred a flurry of internet memes about his driving. The golf legend has made headlines for car accidents as early as 2009, when he crashed into a fire hydrant amid his cheating scandal with his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren. This dangerous pattern has led to serious questions as to why he continues to drive, as he could easily afford a private driver to take him anywhere. His decision to drive himself, purportedly for the sake of privacy, is undeniably selfish, as he puts other people's lives at risk on the road. 

One of his most infamous car incidents occurred on May 19, 2017, in Jupiter, Florida, after he fell asleep behind the wheel. The police found him stopped in the middle of the street at 3 a.m. while the car was still running. He was arrested for driving under the influence, and it was later found that he had taken a dangerous mix of various drugs that included Vicodin, Dilaudid, Xanax, Ambien, and THC. He underwent a DUI diversion program following the incident. 

He was also in a high-speed rollover crash on February 23, 2021, in Los Angeles, California, that resulted in significant leg injuries. While speeding on a winding road, he crossed over a median and hit a tree before going off the road. The police claimed he was not impaired but seemed to have stepped on the accelerator when he was supposed to hit the brakes. Following the crash, he had to undergo multiple back and ankle surgeries due to his injuries. "I'm lucky to be alive and also have a limb," Woods told reporters in November 2021 (via The Athletic).

In 2009, the shady side of Tiger Woods was put on full display after a cheating scandal with his then-wife, Elin Nordegren, who is also the mother of his two children. The scandal went public after Nordegren used two golf clubs to break the rear windows of his car, an ironically fitting and predictable choice for the couple. He was later discovered to have cheated with a jaw-dropping 120 women. 

While Nordegren was caring for their newborn child, Woods was busy having an affair with a young 21-year-old Florida neighbor who lived just yards away. When Nordegren found out about the affair, she allegedly called the golfer while he was having dinner with friends. "She was screaming so loudly that everyone at the table could hear what she was saying," a source told the National Enquirer (via the New York Post). "This is the worst betrayal ever. I can't believe you had sex with that girl in our own neighborhood. That's it — I'm divorcing you." The couple then divorced in 2010 following his longstanding pattern of infidelity that was all over the headlines.

In a nationally televised apology, Woods admitted that his oversized ego encouraged him to cheat. "I knew my actions were wrong," he said (via People). "I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. 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."

In 2024, fellow golf pro Collin Morikawa publicly called out peer Tiger Woods for having a big ego. During the PGA Tour events in 2024, Woods went against recommendations that he should use a golf cart for his tournaments. He refused the added assistance, which was granted to him due to a recent reconstructive ankle surgery he received in April 2023 to repair an injury he incurred in his 2021 car accident. Despite being granted special permission to use a golf cart under the Americans with Disabilities Act that allowed Casey Martin to use a golf cart in 2021 for his circulatory disease, Woods would not take advantage of it. 

In a press conference in June 2024, two-time major champion Morikawa was asked about his thoughts on the situation, where he publicly stated that Woods' ego was stopping him from using the necessary assistance. "Yeah, but his ego is pretty big, as is all of ours," Morikawa said (via Mirror US). "I think he wants to keep doing it until he can't and maybe there's something about a golf cart that ain't it [for him]. I'd be taking a golf cart if they allowed me."