Tiger Woods Arrest ‘Stark Reminder’ Of 2009 Accident & Sex Scandal: Jack Nicklaus, PGA Players Concerned

Tiger Woods’ arrest for DUI on Monday morning is being described as a “stark reminder of his 2009 car accident.” That accident sparked a highly publicized, infamous sex scandal, derailing his life both professionally and personally. Now, comparing Woods’ newest DUI arrest to the 2009 case, People magazine pointed out the “striking similarities,” even when it comes to Tiger’s attire.

Just as in his 2009 incident, Woods’ accident occurred during an extended holiday weekend, in this case Memorial Day. The magazine also described the similarities between the 2009 accident and the newest one when it came to Tiger’s reported reaction.

“Like the previous incident, Woods was unable to follow simple commands or respond coherently to police officers’ instructions.”

A police report obtained by the publication reportedly showed that Tiger admitted to the use of several prescription medications, including Vicodin. That is allegedly the same pain reliever that he used prior to the 2009 accident.

Since that accident and resulting sex scandal in 2009, when Woods was “exposed for the rampant infidelity that wrecked his marriage to Elin Nordegren,” fans have hoped for his return to the spotlight. But it wasn’t this type of spotlight that they wanted, noted the New York Post, which also pointed out the parallels between Tiger’s 2009 accident and the recent arrest in a single statement.

“Fallen sports star who seemingly had everything… disgraced.”

Eight years after Tiger featured in what the publication described as “the steepest fall from grace by a world figure since Bill Clinton started spending time with Monica Lewinsky,” the issue of Woods’ legacy is once again the topic of speculation. The images associated with Tiger range from his endorsement deals, including Nike golf, to the “Thanksgiving night sex scandal in 2009” and mugshot on Memorial Day, noted the media outlet.

Not since 2008 has Woods won a major championship. He has not won a tournament of any kind since 2013. The publication also noted that although his history is causing some to feel it’s “difficult to believe” his statement about what caused him to be pulled over at 3 a.m., Tiger has stated that the newest incident was due to a mixture of prescriptions.

“What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t recognize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly.”

In the wake of the news about Woods’ DUI arrest, major players, including Jack Nicklaus, are expressing concern. Nicklaus stated that Woods “needs our help,” according to ESPN.

“I feel bad for Tiger,” said Nicklaus at a news conference for The Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. “Tiger’s a friend. He’s been great for the game of golf. He needs our help. I wish him well.”

Not only has Woods been “great for the game of golf,” according to Jack. The legendary sports figure also described Tiger as good for boosting his own game.

“Did I enjoy watching him play? Absolutely,” asserted Nicklaus. “Did I enjoy every time Tiger did something, my name was mentioned right beside it? It kept me relevant.”

SB Nation noted that although his alcohol level was 0.000, Woods reportedly “failed other sobriety tests” and allegedly had “extremely slow and slurred speech.” He was arrested for a DUI along with improper parking in an illegal space (stopped in the right lane).

In addition to Jack Nicklaus, other players shared their concern about Woods and what they had read in the news.

“It was just tough to see that all over the news,” admitted Bubba Watson.

“We all have our dark places, and Tiger is human, which everyone seems to forget.”

Watson feels that all the players are “concerned for him as a friend.” Rather than speculate about the cause, he expressed his hopes for Woods’ future.

“Whatever the cause of what happened to him, we just want him to get better,” added Watson.

One player who asked the publication to keep him anonymous questioned Woods’ alleged use of multiple medications, reportedly including Solarex, Torix, and Vioxx in addition to Vicodin.

“You have to ask, ‘What was he doing at that hour, and why is he taking Vicodin?’ I thought he said a few days ago that he never felt better.”

The player also expressed his hopes that Tiger’s alleged use of Vicodin “isn’t an indication of something a lot more serious.”

[Featured Image by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]