Whoopi Goldberg Supports Friend Tiger Woods After Arrest: 'I Don't Like Kicking a Man When He's Down'
· Yahoo Sports
Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty; David Cannon/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Whoopi Goldberg shared her thoughts on Tiger Woods' decision to seek treatment
- Woodsannounced onTuesday, March 31 that he was seeking treatment after he was involved in a rollover car crash in Jupiter Island, Fla., days before
- The golfer was arrested for an alleged DUI after the crash
Whoopi Goldberg is offering a supportive message to her friend Tiger Woods.
The View co-host, 70, shared brief remarks about Woods' DUI charge and decision to seek treatment during the Wednesday, April 1 episode of the ABC talk show.
Visit cat-cross.com for more information.
After bringing up that others are "not as compassionate" about Woods' March 27 arrest, she offered her own perspective as someone who has known him.
“Tiger is a friend of mine, and I wish him nothing but the best," Goldberg said, as she and her co-hosts approached the topic of Woods' arrest on a DUI charge. She added, "I don’t like kicking a man when he’s down. I’ll leave that to other folks."
Whoopi Goldberg appears on the April 1, 2026 episode of 'The View'Credit: ABC
Elsewhere during the segment, co-hosts Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines and Joy Behar, plus guest co-host Whitney Cummings, spoke about Woods' arrest.
Hostin, 57, brought up the golfer's back pain and said while "we talk about the opioid crisis in this country with such empathy," that's not so much the case with Woods, 50.
"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 and the fact that, as an athlete, he is now having to struggle with the fact that he may have to give up the one thing he loves to do," she said.
After Behar, 83, asked why Woods couldn't "get a driver," Goldberg added, "You don’t want to be that guy that’s just, ‘Well, why is he always being driven around?’ You can’t win.”
"Look, he's getting what he needs,' Goldberg said. "He will get what he needs."
On Tuesday, March 31, Woods announced in a statement posted to X that he would step away from golf to focus on his health. He wrote that he understood "the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today."
"I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health," Woods wrote. "This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery."
He added, "I'm committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time."
Organizers for the Masters also confirmed that he would not participate in the tournament. “Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being,” Fred Ridley, Augusta National Golf Club chairman, said in a statement Tuesday. “Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt here in Augusta.”
Woods was arrested on Friday afternoon after he rolled over his Range Rover in a two-car accident in Jupiter Island, Fla.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputies found two hydrocodone pills in Woods’ left pants pocket while at the scene, per an affidavit. According to the probable cause affidavit, he told authorities he took his medicine that morning and had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg. The arrest took place after he returned to competitive golf last week, one year after rupturing his Achilles.
According to court documents viewed by PEOPLE on March 31, Woods entered a not guilty plea in Martin County Court.
He was previously involved in two other car accidents, having sustained serious injuries in a 2021 crash in Los Angeles that required surgery, and a separate incident in 2009, also near his Florida residence.
Read the original article on People