Tiger Woods Shares Memorial Day Tribute and Personal Updates

Tiger Woods made a public statement for the first time in nearly two months with a patriotic message on Memorial Day, honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. He took to X on Monday afternoon to express his gratitude and pay tribute to his late father, Earl Woods, who served in the U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War.

Woods shared, “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.” This heartfelt message came from Woods as he reflected on his father’s contributions. Earl Woods passed away in May 2006 at 74 years old.

Prior to this message, Woods had not communicated publicly since March 31. At that time, he announced he was “stepping away for a period of time” following a car accident and a DUI arrest in Florida on March 27. He was charged with two misdemeanors: DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test, even though his breathalyzer tests returned 0.00 results. Woods opted not to provide a urine test, leading to one of the charges.

On April 1, Woods received permission to leave the country for comprehensive inpatient treatment. Earlier this month, he was seen returning to Florida, but his private plane reportedly returned to Switzerland on Sunday, suggesting his rehabilitation continues overseas.

During this time, questions arose about Woods’ brief visit to Florida. The visit coincided with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, sharing her breast cancer diagnosis. Vanessa, the former daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, took to social media to call Woods her “strength” amid her diagnosis.

Woods and Vanessa announced their relationship in March 2025. Woods has not played in a competitive golf round since the 2024 Open Championship in Scotland.