Tiger Woods has checked himself into rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers according to the Independent. 

A few weeks ago police found the 14-time major winner asleep behind the wheel as they came across his car at the side of a road in Florida. He was arrested on the suspicion of driving under the influence. 

In an affidavit that was released, police say Woods was wearing his seatbelt and had "extremely slow and slurred speech" when officers woke him.

In a statement, Woods said: "What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realise the mix of medications had affected me so strongly."

He tested negative for alcohol, but told police he had taken the sedative medication Xanax, in addition to later admitting at a testing facility he was also taking the powerful painkiller Vicodin.

In a bid to retain joint custody of his daughter Sam, nine, and eight-year-old son, Charlie, the golfer has reportedly agreed to attend a 28-day course of treatment at a centre near his Jupiter home.