Tiger Woods' Condition Is Now Known Following Car Crash, Surgery
Tiger Woods is in recovery following a harrowing car crash in California on Feb. 23, 2021. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department confirmed in a statement on Twitter that Woods was involved in a "single vehicle roll-over traffic collision," with People reporting that he had emergency surgery on his legs at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, the first officer on the scene, later told reporters in a briefing that Woods "calm and lucid" as he waited for paramedics to arrive in his vehicle, which had "sustained major damage." Gonzalez added that the pro-golfer was lucky to have survived the crash. "I've seen many collisions, the nature of his vehicle, and the fact that he was wearing a seatbelt, I would say that it greatly increased the likelihood that it saved his life, Gonzalez said. "It was very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive...I think this also kind of speaks to the marvel of modern automobiles and they are much safer than they've ever been previously."
Woods was unable to stand on his own, which had some wondering about the state of his condition. Following surgery, Woods' team released an update — read on to find out what type of injuries Woods sustained and how he's recovering.
Tiger Woods is 'awake' and 'recovering' post-accident
According to a statement released by his official Twitter account, Tiger Woods underwent "a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital." In the same statement, Anish Mahajan — Chief Medical Officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where Woods was treated — described his injuries and surgical procedures in detail. "Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center," Mahajan confirmed.
The doctor went on to explain that the athlete suffered from "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." In addition to his right leg fracture, Woods also suffered "additional injuries" in his foot and ankle that were stabilized "with a combination of screws and pins," and "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."
The statement concluded by saying that Woods is on the mend. "He is currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room," Woods' team said in the statement. "Thank you to the wonderful doctors and hospital staff at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and the Fire Department. Your support and assistance has been outstanding."
Is Tiger Woods' golfing career in jeopardy?
Of course, many want to know whether Tiger Woods will overcome his injuries and conquer the sport once again. Woods' 2021 schedule had already been affected due to ongoing issues with his back, per Golf Digest.
In January 2021, Woods "underwent a microdiscectomy procedure on his back to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching a nerve," according to the outlet. The Washington Post reported that the procedure caused Woods to "miss two events" on the PGA Tour, but he was hopeful he'd make it back for a Masters return. Though Woods has made comebacks before, he is reportedly unsure of what the future holds after his car accident. According to People, Woods supposedly knows that the car accident has jeopardized his career and that he'll have to make hard decisions about his future once his condition improves. "He doesn't want his career to end like this," an insider claimed to the outlet. "So if there's any way at all that he can continue playing golf, he will."
The insider further claimed that Woods was "frustrated" at the setback. "He expected 2021 to be the year of his comeback," the insider said. "Obviously, that's not going to happen now. And that's disappointing to him."
Tiger Woods is reportedly hopeful despite everything
Tiger Woods beat the odds in 2019 when he won his fifth Masters title, according to CNN. It was his first Masters title since 2005 and was dubbed as a "fairytale return" for the golfer because of his injury-prone career. "It's overwhelming just because of what has transpired," Woods said in the Green Jacket Ceremony. "Last year I was very lucky to be playing again. At the previous Champions Dinner I was really struggling and missed a couple of years of not playing this great tournament and now I'm the champion. Twenty two years between wins, it's a long time and it's unreal for me to experience this."
If Woods' persistence is anything to go by, he'll overcome his injuries sustained in the car crash and try to become great again. "This is a massive setback and he knows that it's a massive setback," the insider told People. "But he's overcome obstacles in the past and thinks he can do it again."
As the public waits for Woods' return, many are optimistic about his ability to bounce back, including former President Barack Obama, who tweeted, "Here's to a speedy recovery for the GOAT of golf. If we've learned anything over the years, it's to never count Tiger out."