A horrific car crash in February 2021 nearly cost legendary golfer Tiger Woods his right leg.
If you recall, Woods underwent multiple surgeries for lower-right-leg injuries, including open fractures to both his tibia and fibula bones, he suffered in a single-car crash in California.
His tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by a rod, and additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins, Woods shared in a statement at the time.
The 15-time major champion spent three weeks hospitalized and recalled dealing with the possibility amputating his leg.
Tiger Woods’ damaged right leg was on full display while he supported his 15-year-old son Charlie at the U.S. Junior Amateur on Monday.
The 48-year-old Woods exposed his scars from the horrifying car crash that nearly took his right leg in February 2021 while wearing a pair of shorts at Oakland Hills.
Since the accident, Woods has often worn a right leg sleeve, preventing the scars from being visible. But this is one of the first times the public has been able to see the extent of his injury in plain sight.
Tiger Woods is walking the course at the US Junior without his leg sleeve. The scar on his leg is massive and probably helps explain the difficulty he’s had. @golfnjokes pic.twitter.com/t552JrCDdg
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) July 22, 2024
Thanks to swift action from local emergency authorities, Woods was able to save his leg. But at the time, few wondered if Woods would ever play golf again.
In typical Tiger-fashion, he managed to once again compete
“There was a point in time when, I wouldn’t say it was 50/50, but it was damn near there if I was going to walk out of that hospital with one leg. Once I [kept it], I wanted to test and see if I still had my hands,” he told Golf Digest in November 2021.
“So even in the hospital, I would have [then-girlfriend] Erica [Herman] and [friend] Rob [McNamara] throw me something. Throw me anything.”
Woods has been no stranger spending time on the operating table because of injury.
Woods has had multiple knee surgeries, including reconstructive surgery on his ACL. He has also had multiple surgeries on his back and neck. All caused him to miss significant time playing golf over the past few years.
After he missed the cut at The Open Championship at Royal Troon, Woods recently announced that he will be taking a break from competitive golf to allow his body to once again heal.
Woods will resume playing at his Hero Challenge in the Bahamas in December, followed by the PNC Championship in Florida, where he’ll pair with his son Charlie.