UPDATE 8-9-2017 at 9:23 a.m.
Florida prosecutors say Tiger Woods has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence and will enter a diversion program later this year.
Palm Beach County Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis said Woods entered the plea Wednesday. Woods was not in the courtroom at the time.
The 41-year-old golf superstar will enter a diversion program late October of this year.
Under the plea deal, prosecutors will drop the DUI charge from his arrest in May when he was found asleep in his Mercedes-Benz, apparently under the influence of a prescription painkiller and an anti-insomnia drug. No alcohol was found in his system.
Such plea deals are offered to many first-time DUI offenders in Palm Beach County.
Woods' attorney Douglas Duncan had no comment.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The attorney for Tiger Woods says the golfer won't attend his arraignment in Florida on a driving under the influence charge.
Under court rules, Woods' attorney can enter a not guilty plea on his behalf Wednesday. Any other plea would require Woods' attendance.
Woods could still eventually enter a program for first-time DUI defendants. He would have to plead guilty to reckless driving and receive a year's probation and other conditions.
His attorney, Douglas Duncan, said in an email Tuesday to The Associated Press that Woods won't be attending the hearing, but he didn't elaborate.
Woods was arrested in May when officers found him asleep in his car. He had no alcohol in his system but told officers he had taken painkillers for his injured back and an insomnia medication.