Sixteen years ago, the world was stunned by news that Tiger Woods had been involved in a bizarre collision with his neighbor’s tree.
Thanksgiving Day 2009 was the day that Woods’ career – on track to be the most successful golfer of all time – was thrown off-course and he would need a decade to return to the top of the game.
Woods had a spotless reputation as an elite sportsperson but reporters from the National Enquirer had been tipped off about alleged infidelities and was about to break a story that stunned the world.
What happened to Tiger Woods?
In November 2009 Woods was victorious at the Australian Masters in Melbourne, another tournament win in his illustrious career. But the National Enquirer believed that Woods had visited with a secret girlfriend, Rachel Uchitel, at the Crown Casino and Hotel nearby.
When Woods got back the U.S. he told wife Elin that the National Enquirer might publish a story about alleged infidelities but he assured her that it was untrue. Woods even went so far as to set up a call between Elin and Rachel, asking his mistress to assure his wife that nothing was going on.
Then, on Wednesday 26 November 2009, Woods spent an evening playing cards with friends before taking an Ambien sleeping pill and falling asleep. While he slept, his wife took his phone and contacted Uchitel, who admitted to the affair.
Elin then woke and confronted Woods, who was still groggy from the sleeping pill. Woods reportedly ran to his car and tried to flee, but his Cadillac Escalade clipped a fire hydrant and crashed into a neighbor’s tree.
News of the incident was shared around the world on Thanksgiving 2009 and the scandal spiraled in the following days and weeks. Dozens of other women come forward and admitted to affairs with Woods, keeping the star on the front page of the New York Post for a record-setting 20 consecutive editions. It broke the record set by the 9/11 attacks.
Woods admitted his mistakes in a series of statements and announced his decision to take a break from the game. At that points he looked like a lock to beat Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles. Woods won his 14th at the U.S. Open in 2008 and did not add number 15 until 2019, his most recent to date. The events of Thanksgiving 2009 sparked a chain reaction that revealed the extent of Woods’ infidelities and derailed one of the most successful careers in sport history.
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