Whoopi Goldberg has spoken out in defence of Tiger Woods following his DUI arrest, offering a message of support for the golf legend while pushing back on those she feels have been less than compassionate.
The View co-host, 70, addressed the subject on the Wednesday, 1 April episode of the ABC talk show, making clear her personal connection to the story.
“Tiger is a friend of mine, and I wish him nothing but the best,” she said. “I don’t like kicking a man when he’s down. I’ll leave that to other folks.”
Woods, 50, was arrested on Friday, 27 March, after his Range Rover was involved in a two-car accident in Jupiter Island, Florida.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputies found two hydrocodone pills in his left trouser pocket at the scene.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Woods told authorities he had taken his medication that morning and had undergone seven back surgeries and more than 20 operations on his leg.
He has since entered a not guilty plea in Martin County Court.
On Tuesday, 31 March, Woods announced he was stepping away from golf to focus on his health.
“I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health,” he wrote on X. “This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
He asked for privacy for himself and his family, adding that he was “committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place.”
Augusta National confirmed he would not compete in the Masters. “Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt here in Augusta,” chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement.
On The View, co-host Sunny Hostin brought up the wider context of Woods’ long history of physical pain and asked for greater empathy.
“I’m not excusing the fact that he was driving while under the influence, but I think we need to show someone who is a sports legend, who may have been pushed very hard as a child, and have some grace for the pain he’s living with,” she said, noting the disconnect between how the opioid crisis is generally discussed with compassion and how that same compassion doesn’t always extend to Woods.
When Joy Behar asked why Woods couldn’t simply arrange for a driver, Goldberg was quick to point out the no-win nature of that argument.
“You don’t want to be that guy that’s just, ‘Well, why is he always being driven around?’ You can’t win.”
She closed with a simple show of confidence in his recovery. “Look, he’s getting what he needs. He will get what he needs.”
The arrest is the latest in a series of serious incidents for Woods, who sustained significant injuries in a 2021 car crash in Los Angeles and was involved in a separate incident near his Florida home in 2009.
He had only just returned to competitive golf last week, a year after rupturing his Achilles.
