Tiger Woods is in trouble again — this time for allegedly driving under the influence in Florida.
The once-great golfer was arrested around 3 a.m. Monday on Military Trail just south of Indian Creek Parkway in the town of Jupiter, NBC News has confirmed.
He was released on his own recognizance eight hours later, a spokesperson for Jupiter police said. It was not immediately clear whether he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs — or whether anybody else was in the car.
“I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions," Woods said in a statement released Monday night. "I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly. I would like to apologize with all my heart to my family, friends and the fans. I expect more from myself too. I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again."
He added, "I fully cooperated with law enforcement, and I would like to personally thank the representatives of the Jupiter Police Department and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office for their professionalism."
Woods, 41, a golfing phenom whose career and marriage to Swedish model Elin Nordegren were wrecked by a sex scandal, lives about nine miles from where he was arrested on a palatial multi-million dollar estate on Hobe Sound. He also owns a swanky restaurant called The Woods about three miles from the spot where police nabbed him.
Once the world's top-ranked golfer, Woods has won 14 major golf tournaments — second only to Jack Nicklaus. But he has not won a major since June 2008.
On April 20, Woods announced on his official web site that he had "undergone successful back surgery to alleviate ongoing pain" in his back and leg. It was his fourth operation.
“The surgery went well, and I’m optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain,” Woods said on his site. “When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.”
And in his most recent post on Wednesday, Woods wrote that he was working his way back into playing shape and added, "I haven’t felt this good in years."
"As for returning to competitive golf, the long-term prognosis is positive," he wrote. "I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again."
Woods' world began unraveling in November 2009 when a supermarket tabloid reported he had an affair with a New York City nightclub manager (a claim she denied) and then he crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant outside the mansion near Orlando where he and his family were living in at the time.
Woods paid a$164 fine and the Florida Highway Patrol dropped its investigation. But the questions kept coming and soon a parade of party girls and porn stars emerged with claims of having bedded Woods.
Within weeks Woods' good guy image was shattered and he lost millions of dollars in endorsements. In February 2010, Woods tried to stop the bleeding with a more than 13 minute televised apology to his wife and to his fans that was watched by millions.
"I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," he said, his voice breaking. "What I did was unacceptable. I have only myself to blame."
Then in August 2010, Woods lost his wife.
In her divorce petition, Nordegren said the union was "irretrievably broken." The couple agreed to joint custody of their daughter, Sam, and son, Charlie.
