Tiger Woods blasted by Sky Sports Golf legend: “His career should have been killed off years ago...”

Former long-time Sky Sports Golf host David Livingstone has delivered a damning verdict on Tiger Woods after the 15-time major champion's DUI arrest, claiming his career “should have been killed off years ago.”

Livingstone was speaking to GB News less than 24 hours after Woods was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Florida before being arrested for driving under the influence.

Woods, 50, was detained in Martin County in Florida after his Range Rover collided with a trailer he was attempting to overtake, causing the vehicle to roll over. 

While no injuries were reported, the former World No.1 faces multiple charges including misdemeanour DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful urine test. 

Woods then spent approximately eight hours in custody before being released on bail. 

His mugshot was released online, and that immediately sent social media into a frenzy. 

Woods' DUI arrest has intensified scrutiny around his future in the sport, particularly with The Masters just two weeks away.

In the eyes of a Sky Sports Golf legend, Woods' career “should have been killed off years ago.”

Livingstone, who worked as Sky Sports Golf’s lead presenter for 25 years from 1993 until his retirement in 2018, has questioned both Woods’ competitive future and the wider support he continues to receive in the game.

“I think Tiger Woods has effectively been retired for a number of years, but the game of golf has been trying to keep his career alive because they need him,” Livingstone told GB News. 

“Rory McIlroy is a pretty big star, along with some of the others like Scottie Scheffler, but they don't do quite the same as Tiger Woods so they're trying to keep his career alive. 

“Frankly, it should have been killed off years ago, because he's not capable of competing at the highest level any more.

“These personal incidents are getting worse and I think he's been given a free pass by the golfing media to carry on living his life whatever he wants to do. 

“This is just the latest in a series with previous motoring issues he's had. 

“He's had a great career, done wonderful things with his Tiger Woods Golf Foundation for young people, but as a person, he's never really grasped the humility that's required to be a decent human being.”

Livingstone then went further when discussing Woods’ history of driving-related incidents, warning of the potential consequences.

It marks Woods’ second DUI arrest, following a 2017 incident in Jupiter, Florida, where he later pleaded guilty to reckless driving.

He was also involved in a serious car crash in February 2021, suffering severe leg fractures that took months of rehabilitation.

Prior to those incidents, Woods hit a fire hydrant, a tree, and several hedges in a bizarre collision outside his home in 2009. 

That particular moment sparked accusations of extramarital affairs, which led to the end of his seven-year marriage with Elin Nordegren and the loss of lucrative sponsorship deals. 

“In each of these accidents he's been involved in, these terrible accidents, he's managed to escape with some injuries himself but he could have killed people in these accidents,” added Livingstone. 

“The one that happened in 2017 is in an area that many of us know in Florida. He could have been travelling around during the night, he had five different drugs in his system, he could have done terrible damage to families on holiday or whoever else in the area. 

“The latest one just shows that he's never been able to get rid of, well he's a dangerous driver for a start. His sense of entitlement he has to go along a little country road like that and drive at the speed he did, he doesn't seem to learn any lesssons. 

“But that's coming back to what I said about humility in all his various recoveries. He has said all the right things but he's never actually carried them through long term. 

“I may be taking too personal a view of this, but I don't think he should be receiving the adulation he does any more, but he does from the golfing media because he moves the needle for golf, TV and other areas of the media.”

When pressed whether a number of sponsors could now walk away from the 82-time PGA Tour winner, Livingstone said: “I think they should, but they won't.”

Watch Livingstone's comments in full here:

Livingstone’s comments echo those of Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee, who has also questioned whether the time has come for Woods to step away from professional golf.

For now, the latest car crash and DUI arrest has only intensified debate around Woods’ legacy — and whether one of the sport’s greatest players is nearing the end of his time in the spotlight.