SAD NEWS: Tiger woods had a fatal accident today on his way home.
Tiger Woods has said he will never reach the top of golf again, will no longer play full-time on the PGA Tour and was close to losing his leg following the car crash on today October 6, 2024; Woods still unsure when he can return to competitive action
The prospect of Tiger Woods teeing it up in a PGA Tour event in 2022 remains a possibility, a year on from a career-threatening car crash that made him feel “lucky to be alive”.
Today October 6th marks the first anniversary of Woods’ crash in California, where the leg and ankle injuries sustained were severe enough for him to already rule out a full-time return to competitive golf.
The crash came two months after Woods underwent a fifth surgical procedure on his back, with the lengthy rehabilitation that followed more strenuous than any setback he has previously experienced during his injury-plagued career.
Will we see Tiger Woods tee it up on the PGA Tour in 2022?
Details about Woods’ condition have been scarce over the past 12 months, with the 48-year-old only speaking publicly on a handful of occasions about the incident, while speculation continues about when – or if – he’ll be seen playing golf on the PGA Tour again.
What caused Woods’ crash?
Woods was alone in an SUV in Rolling Hills Estates, on the outskirts of Los Angeles, when he was involved in a single-vehicle crash shortly after 7am local time (3pm GMT) on October 6th.
Tiger Woods admits he is ‘lucky to be alive’ after being involved in a serious car crash in Los Angeles in February.
The vehicle careered off the road “at high speed” and suffered extensive damage, hitting the centre kerb, a tree and then rolling several times before coming to rest on an embankment.
Data from the vehicle’s black box showed Woods was travelling between 84 and 87 miles per hour – on a downhill stretch of road that has a speed limit of 45 mph – shortly before his crash.
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Justin Thomas has revealed how Tiger Woods was giving him stick from his hospital bed after he won the Players Championship.
Woods was transferred later that week to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to undergo “follow-up” procedures on his right leg, with the five-time Masters winner since revealing that amputation of his right leg “was on the table” due to the severity of his injuries.
It wasn’t until mid-March, some three weeks after the crash, that he was able to leave hospital and travel from Los Angeles to continue his rehabilitation at home in Florida, with Woods thanking people on social media for “the outpouring of support and encouragement”.
How is Woods’ recovery going?
Woods described his rehabilitation as the toughest of his career, admitting that his initial goal was “just looking forward to getting outside” after being immobile for several months. Woods was initially wheelchair-bound before slowly transitioning to crutches and then walking unaided.
Updates on Woods’ condition were limited for most of 2021 and he was only spotted in public occasionally during his recuperation, wearing a compression sleeve on his right leg, while a three-second clip of him hitting a wedge shot in November sent social media into a frenzy.
Woods admitted to being in pain just sitting down during his press conference ahead of the Hero World Challenge the following week, the first time he had addressed the media since the crash, where he opened up about the “dark moments” and “hard work” during his recovery process.
The tournament host was seen practising on the range and hitting the driver that week, with Woods telling reporters that he could “hit any club in the bag”, although admitted that walking around a golf course was still an issue.
Woods gave an update on his condition ahead of the Genesis Invitational last week, where he admitted that his recovery was going “not at the speed and rate that I would like” and that he was “frustrated” by the lack of progress being made.
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Henni Koyack, who interviewed Tiger Woods about his recovery from a serious car crash, says he still has a long way to go as he tries to return to playing golf.
When will we see Woods compete?
Woods insisted that he was not ready to make a return to PGA Tour golf in the near future, despite making an impressive comeback at the PNC Championship in December.
He showed glimpses of his past best during a runner-up finish alongside his son, Charlie, in Florida, where the pair made 11 consecutive birdies on their way to a final-round 57 in the 36-hole scramble event.
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Highlights from Team Woods’ final round at the PNC Championship, where Tiger and his 12-year-old son, Charlie, fired eleven straight birdies to charge up the leaderboard.
“I can’t compete against these guys right now, no,” Woods said at the event. “It’s going to take a lot of work to get to where I feel like I can compete at these guys and be at a high level.”
Woods has since said the PNC Championship gave him a boost after a trying year and that he is “a lot stronger” than he was in December, although admitted at Riviera Country Club last week he’s still not sure when he can return.
“I wish I could tell you when I’m playing again,” Woods told a pre-tournament press conference. “I want to know, but I don’t. My golf activity has been very limited. I can chip and putt really well and hit short irons very well, but I haven’t done any long stuff seriously. I’m still working.”
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Sky Sports Golf’s Simon Holmes looks back at an impressive return to action for Tiger Woods at the PNC Championship and discusses whether a PGA Tour comeback is a possibility for the 15-time major champion in the future.
Woods was asked by Jim Nantz whether it was fair to say he would play on the Tour in 2022, where he said: “You’ll see me on the PGA Tour, I just don’t know when.” He also said “I can play that kind of stuff” when asked about the possibility of the Masters Par-3 contest, although though stopped short of committing to playing in the event.
Will Tiger return to winner’s circle?
Woods currently shares the record for most PGA Tour titles with Sam Snead, both holding 82 victories, while he is also just three behind Jack Nicklaus’ all-time major tally of 18.
Tiger Woods smiles as he rides with his wife Elin Nordegren to the trophy presentation following his sudden death hole US Open championship victory following an 18-hole playoff round at Torrey Pines Golf Course on Monday, June 16, 2008 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Play Video – Lee: It will be enough just to see Tiger play again
Golfing great Tiger Woods has ruled out a full-time return to the sport – but Sky Sports’ Rob Lee says it will be wonderful if the American can play just a few tournaments a year after suffering serious injuries in a car crash.
Sky Sports’ Rob Lee said: “If Tiger gets to the point where he tees it up in a tournament and he can compete, because he can do walking, then he knows and understands Augusta National more than any other player. Could he win another Masters again, if he can get his leg where he wants it to be?