Emerson Phillips
It’s been well documented.
Tiger Woods was injured in a single-car wreck on February 23, 2021. He was alone in the car, and his vehicle flipped over several times. He was extricated from the wreck with an ax and other tools by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics.
Woods’ injuries consisted of a shattered ankle and two leg fractures, one of which was a compound fracture, meaning bone had broken through the skin.
Tiger underwent extensive surgery to repair the damage. Months later, and about three weeks before the start of The Masters, he flew to Augusta to play a couple practice rounds with his son Charlie and friend and fellow PGA Tour player Justin Thomas.
He ended up giving it a go at The Masters and made the cut, but four days of championship-level competition on the Tour’s hilliest course proved to be taxing.
Tiger said he spent the day after the tournament in an ice bath,
“It was not fun,” he said. “It (his repaired leg) hurt. Ice baths and just trying to get the swelling out of there. Then we went back at it, (weight lifting) leg day on Tuesday and we kept going from there. Figured the first mountain you climbed was Everest. That’s the steepest golf course you’re going to play and that was the first one you climbed.”
Tiger says course conditions will “get flatter and better” as he continues to move forward on the PGA Tour. “But still, I still have tough days, and things aren’t going to be as easy as people might think,” he said.
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“I feel like I’m doing better. I’m having more days which are better, more positive. I’m able to practice a little bit longer. I’m able to do activities and things that I was hoping to do, and I’m finally able to do them.”
“I didn’t have the endurance [at The Masters] that I wanted,” he added. “I shouldn’t expect it because I didn’t earn it. I didn’t go out there and I hadn’t done the work, but we were able to put in a little bit more work and it’s going to get better as time goes on. As the months pass, it’s going to get better.”
He birdied his first hole today in the opening round of the PGA Championship and was 2-under-par through five holes. But he began limping more noticeably as the round went on and finished with a 4-over par 74.
After the round, Woods said his right leg was in pain.
“I just can’t load it,” Woods said. “Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, walking hurts and twisting hurts. It’s just golf. “
