Tiger Woods has remained largely out of the public eye since his DUI arrest in March 2026, which followed a car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida. However, on Tuesday night, August 25, 2026, Woods appeared in a rare pre-recorded video message congratulating fellow golfer Notah Begay during the Payne Stewart Award ceremony.

In the video, Woods praised Begay's achievements both on and off the golf course, noting Begay's four tour wins and his philanthropic work supporting over 80,000 youths and families in Native American communities. Woods reflected on their long-standing friendship, saying, "You first came into my life when I was 11 years old, playing in the junior world and you came to watch me play. Our friendship has started there and never ended. Again, thank you for coming to see my play. Thank you for getting our friendship started and I love you dude."

The Payne Stewart Award honors professional golfers for character, sportsmanship, and philanthropic contributions.

Fans on social media expressed concern about Woods’ appearance in the video, with some commenting that he looked like "a shell of his former self," while others hoped he was "off the steroids and painkillers."

Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after the March 27, 2026 crash, with police body camera footage showing him performing a field sobriety test. Despite recent challenges, Woods has continued to serve as a leader on the PGA Tour's Future Competition Committee, describing it as a "privilege" during a recent introduction of PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp.

Sources