Tiger Woods Being Sued by Man Claiming He Was Shoved at 2018 Tournament
Normally, Tiger Woods would be preparing to tee it up at The Masters this Thursday. Woods should be defending his 2019 green jacket this weekend, but the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans. Instead of trodding the hallowed grounds at Augusta National, Woods will actually have to deal with a lawsuit this weekend instead. A Florida man has sued Woods and his caddie, Joe LaCava, for a shoving incident from the 2018 Valspar Championship. Not exactly the kind of pressure Woods expected to deal with this Thursday.
Florida man suing Tiger Woods and caddie, alleging he was shoved
Brian Borruso, a 46-year-old Bayonet Point resident, is suing Tiger Woods and caddie Joe LaCava, alleging he was shoved by LaCava in 2018. The incident allegedly took place on the par-3 13th hole at the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook.
Woods sailed a tee shot over the 13th green during the third round of the tournament. His golf ball landed near a crowd of spectators, including Borruso. The man claims he tried to take a selfie with Woods in the background. That’s when LaCava shoved Borruso, causing him to fall into the group of fans.
Borruso reported the incident to law enforcement that day. He told the police that he went to the emergency room due to muscle spasms.
The suit accuses LaCava of negligence, culpable negligence and battery. As for Woods, he’s accused of negligence and respondeat superior —employer liability for the actions of LaCava. Borruso is seeking $30,000 in damages.
A tournament security official disputed the man’s claims
Borruso claimed he was “shoved” by Woods’ caddie, but that’s not how a tournament security official saw the incident.
An official who witnessed the incident told authorities LaCava just guided the man away from Woods’ golf ball. He said the claims of shoving were false, and the official also claimed no one fell to the ground. If someone did, the official said he would’ve went over to help.
Despite claiming he had terrible back spasms, Borruso stayed at the course to spectate for another hour, according to the 2018 report.
“Regardless of celebrity status, no one has the right to violate the well-known safety rule of keeping your hands to yourself,” Borruso’s attorney, John Drechsel, said in a statement. “It’s not right for anyone to do that, and we believe there is evidence out there that will help prove our case.”
This isn’t the first time Tiger Woods has been sued
Tiger Woods is no stranger to being sued. Just last year Woods was named in a wrongful-death lawsuit with his girlfriend, Erica Herman.
In December 2018, a man left Woods’ restaurant in Jupiter, Fl. and fatally crashed his Corvette. The man was drunk when he left the restaurant, and his family sued Woods and Herman for allowing the man to drink too much and drive home.
The lawsuit against Woods was later dropped in June 2019. Woods can only hope this newest lawsuit ends as amicably and quickly as the wrongful-death case last year.
