When we first heard about the horrific car accident involved Tiger Woods on Tuesday, our minds went to just one place:
Will the golfing legend survive?
Initial images from the crash site, along with immediate reaction on social media, made it apparent that this was a VERY serious accident.
Thankfully, the answer to this question appears to be yes, Tiger’s condition is not life-threatening.
Next, after learning some more information about what transpired just after 7 a.m. two days ago in southern California, we next needed to know:
Will the golfing legend ever walk again?
According to Dr. Anish Mahajan of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Tiger suffered severe injuries in the crash.
He had a rod placed in his tibia and screws and pins inserted in his foot and ankle during an emergency procedure, which took place after firefiighters used an ax to extricate Woods through his SUV’s front windshield.
“Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia,” said Mahajan.
“Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins.
“Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling.”
This same statement at least confirmed that Woods was “awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room,”
Now, with Tiger’s long-term health seemiingly assured, sports fans have shifted their focus to this pressing question:
Will he ever play golf again?
To be clear, the answer is far less important than Woods being able to live a healthy and active life with his two children.
But it’s only natural for golf followers to ponder, considering this is a man with 15 Major tournament titles and 82 total wins on the PGA Tour, tied for most all-time.
An insider has People Magazine that Woods has a “long recovery ahead” after his single-car rollover accident in the suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes.
“When he is healed enough, he will need other treatments, including physical therapy.
“But he is a fighter. If anyone can recover from this, it is him,” the source says of Woods, who is still hospitalized at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
An investigation is underway into the crash, but thus far there’s been no indication from authorities that Woods was under any kind of influence at the time of the accident.
“He wore a seatbelt thankfully. Otherwise, he might not have made it,” this same source adds, echoing similar comments given by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, who said during Tuesday’s press conference:
“I’ve seen collisions that didn’t look as serious where the occupants were injured much more severely.
“I think that’s just a testament to the fact that he was wearing a seatbelt, airbags worked as intended.”
Woods underwent his fifth back surgery in December.
His status for April’s The Masters was already in doubt, even prior to this latest incident.
Now, though? Looking ahead?
An athlete such as Woods clearly wants to play competitively for as long as possible, but his prime is long behind him and his body was nearing its breaking point before this procedure on his leg and ankle.
“He doesn’t want his career to end like this,” says another People source. “So if there’s any way at all that he can continue playing golf, he will.”
Woods overcame an addiction to pain pills and a 2017 arrest for DUI to win hits 15th Major championship in 2019.
Many thought at the time that it would be the start of a major comeback for the legend — but this injuries derailed almost the entirety of his 2020 season.
And then he flipped his car at a high speed and nearly died.
“This is a massive setback and he knows that it’s a massive setback,” People reports.
Hope remains, however.
“He’s overcome obstacles in the past and thinks he can do it again.”
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