Nobody would have expected that Tiger Woods‘s second DUI arrest would become a statement at the Houston Open, but it did! All because of a handful of fans present at Memorial Park on moving day.

A few fans showed up wearing white T-shirts printed with Woods’s freshly released mug shot and the hashtag “#FreeTiger” front and center. Woods isn’t even competing in Houston, yet his name dominated the gallery conversation. The photos, when circulated on social media, drew attention within hours.

Social media responses were sharply divided, with some calling the fan shirts “stupid” while others simply dismissed supporters as “tools.” Woods was released on bail within eight hours of his arrest, and as one user noted plainly, “Still has support.”

This is not the first time fans have rallied around Woods during this crash. When the mug shot went public on Friday, supporters flooded social media, pointing specifically to his history with pain management, arguing the accident was a consequence of medical treatment rather than reckless behavior.

The 50-year-old has a history of injuries, and this season he was recovering from two.

Woods was charged with DUI, property damage, and refusal to submit to a urinalysis test after a rollover accident on Jupiter Island, Florida, on Friday, March 27. However, his breathalyzer reading came back at triple zeros, meaning no alcohol was detected.

Authorities suspected impairment from medications or drugs, which is consistent with Woods’s long-documented battle with prescription painkillers. Even in 2009, after he hit his car into a fire hydrant and a tree, he was said to have taken Ambien and Vicodin. In 2017, authorities discovered the same drugs in his system when they found him asleep behind the wheel. Things only worsened after his near-fatal car crash in 2021.

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed at a press conference that officers initially suspected the driver was impaired and that they sought additional assistance upon realizing who was involved. Moreover, Woods declined the urinalysis, which added a refusal charge to his arrest.

“We know we arrested a high-profile figure,” Budensiek said, “but it doesn’t matter who you are. If you break the law, we’re going to follow the law.”

With the Masters just weeks away, the timing adds another complicated layer to Woods’s already uncertain road back to competitive golf.

How Tiger Woods’ car crash could derail his Masters plan

Before Friday’s crash, it was already unclear what Tiger Woods’s position at the 2026 Masters would be. He had surgery to replace a disc in October, and before that, he tore his Achilles tendon. He said that his body heals much more slowly now. Now, the arrest makes the already shaky timeline for the comeback even more complicated, both legally and physically.

Donald Trump, who has been friends with Woods for a long time and played golf with him, does not see him teeing off this April. Trump gave Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom after he won the Masters in 2019. Trump told Fox News that he thinks Woods will be present at Augusta but not play. With the crash now, one can even assume that he might skip the Champions Dinner, too.

Woods says he wants to play at the Masters even though his body needs more rest. But now, his body’s fatigue might not even come into play while making the decision.