Judge grants Woods permission to leave U.S. for treatment - ESPN

A Florida judge on Wednesday granted Tiger Woods' request to travel outside the U.S. and enter a comprehensive inpatient treatment facility, according to court records.

Woods' attorney, Douglas Duncan, made the motion to travel Wednesday, citing the golfer's urgent need for an «intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program» and privacy from media and public scrutiny.

Martin County Court Judge Darren Steele granted the motion following a teleconference with Duncan and Assistant State Attorney Caroline Houston on Wednesday.

«Based upon the Defendant's treating physician, the out of country treatment facility recommendation is based upon the Defendant's complex clinical presentation and the urgent need for a level of care that cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States, as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised,» Duncan wrote in the motion.

«Ongoing medical scrutiny and public exposure create significant barriers to his care and would result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment.»

On Tuesday, the 15-time major champion said in a statement that he is «stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health,» announcing the decision four days after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI and refusal to submit to a lawful test stemming from a rollover crash in Florida.

Woods entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor charges Tuesday.

«I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,» Woods said in a statement posted to his social media accounts. «I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting