In a significant legal development, a Florida judge has ruled that Tiger Woods' prescription drug history can be used as evidence in his upcoming DUI trial, marking a key setback for the golf legend's defense team.

The ruling, handed down on Tuesday, May 12 by Judge Darren Steele, came despite strong objections from Woods' attorney, Douglas Duncan, who had previously attempted to block a subpoena for the records from Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach, Florida.

While the prosecution will now have access to the golfer's prescription history, both sides have agreed to a protective order that will keep these sensitive records shielded from public view, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

This legal battle began last month when Duncan filed a motion arguing that Woods has a "constitutional right to privacy interest" in his prescription records. In that April 14 filing, the defense attorney acknowledged that this right "is admittedly not absolute should the State show the relevance of the records to its criminal investigation and thus warrant intrusion into Mr. Woods' privacy."

The motion had requested that any prescription records "only be viewed by the State, its law enforcement officers, any State experts, and the Defense," specifically asking that they "shall not be disclosed to any third parties." Duncan further requested that if the state needed to publicly disclose any portion of the records, a hearing must first be held.

For Woods, who has been working to rebuild his career and public image after multiple back surgeries, this legal challenge adds another layer of complexity to his journey back to competitive golf. The 14-time major champion has been open about his struggles with pain management following his 2017 DUI arrest, when he was found asleep at the wheel of his car with multiple prescription drugs in his system.

As the case moves forward, the golf world watches closely, knowing that the outcome could have lasting implications for one of the sport's most iconic figures.