At 7 a.m. local time, Woods, who was recovering from back surgery, was traveling alone when his SUV abruptly veered off the road.
On this day in 2021, golf legend Tiger Woods escaped a potentially fatal vehicle collision in California.
At 7 a.m. local time, Woods, who was recovering from back surgery, was traveling alone when his SUV abruptly veered off the road, crashing into a tree and the center curb before rolling multiple times along the side of the road.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, if the car’s interior hadn’t broken down and kept Woods safe from the worst of the injuries, the incident would have been fatal.
The 15-time major winner needed an emergency operation at the adjacent Harbor UCLA Medical Center while still having multiple injuries when they were discovered at the scene and was determined to be conscious and talking.
Subsequently, Woods disclosed the severity of his injuries to his right leg, which required stabilization using a metal rod, screws, and pins. He also acknowledged that amputation was “on the table.”
Before being allowed to continue his rehabilitation at home in Florida, he spent three weeks in the hospital. During this time, he received a ton of supportive comments from the public. He continued by expressing gratitude to other PGA Tour players for their shows of support, citing the attendance of other well-known players who were sporting his signature Sunday red.
Initially confined to a wheelchair, he eventually started using crutches to walk, but in his first news conference later that year, he ruled out going back to competitive golf full-time.
“I had to climb Mount Everest one more time following my back fusion. I don’t think I’ll be able to climb Mount Everest this time, and that’s okay,” he remarked.
It’s still possible for me to play golf. However, I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect me to scale the mountain once more and reach the summit.
Alongside his son Charlie, he participated in the PNC Championship nine months following his injury. With his sights set on making an appearance at the Augusta Masters in 2022, Woods entered the race for his historic return.
Even though he had been building up his chances of an almost unbelievable tournament win, he still considered making the cut and coming in 47th on Sunday night to be a major accomplishment.