Ron DeSantis backs Tiger Woods after Florida plea deal
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has weighed in after Tiger Woods’ plea deal, saying the golfer should still be able to drive a golf cart despite a five-year driver’s license suspension. Woods pleaded no contest in his impaired-driving case and avoided jail, while Florida law allows adults to operate carts without a license.
Key Takeaways
- Ron DeSantis backed Tiger Woods on golf-cart use after the five-year license suspension.
- Woods entered a no-contest plea, saw the DUI charge dropped, and faces concurrent five-year suspensions plus about $1,500 in fines.
- Florida law allows people 18 and older to operate a golf cart without a driver’s license.
- The same sports roundup also flagged Mets announcer Keith Hernandez calling the Tampa Bay Rays “woke” and Jena Sims in a Chili’s-themed dress.
What did Ron DeSantis say about Tiger Woods?
After Woods’ September 2, 2026, plea hearing in Martin County, Florida, attention turned to whether the 15-time major champion could still drive a golf cart on course.
According to an OutKick report on Fox News, Gov. Ron DeSantis went to bat for Woods on that point, arguing he should still be allowed to operate a cart.
State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl told the AP that Florida law lets anyone 18 or older run a golf cart without a license—an assurance that settled the viral question for fans tracking the case.
What was Tiger Woods’ plea deal?
Per Reuters, Woods entered a no-contest plea after initially pleading not guilty and was adjudicated guilty at a change-of-plea hearing he attended.
Judge Darren Steele said two five-year driver’s license suspensions—one for reckless driving and one for careless driving—will run at the same time. The more serious DUI charge was dropped. Woods also faced about $1,500 in fines.
“There are no exceptions. If you were to drive for any reason at all, you would go immediately back to jail,” Steele told Woods, according to Reuters.
The case stemmed from a March 27 rollover crash near Woods’ Jupiter Island home. No one was injured. Woods arrived with girlfriend Vanessa Trump and did not answer reporters’ questions.
Why does the golf-cart question matter?
Woods has not played an official event since the 2024 British Open and sought treatment after the crash. Whether he can still ride a cart on course is a practical question for any return to competition or practice in Florida.
DeSantis’ public backing, paired with the state attorney’s reading of Florida law, clarifies that the five-year road ban does not automatically extend to golf carts for adults.
For readers following Florida politics and sports culture, more explainers live in our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
What else was in the same sports roundup?
The same Fox News OutKick Nightcaps column also said Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez called out the Tampa Bay Rays as “woke,” and closed with Jena Sims in a Chili’s dress riffing on the chain’s baby-back-ribs jingle.
Those items are separate from the Woods plea, but they rode the same viral package that put DeSantis’ golf-cart stance in the spotlight.