Tiger Woods has a long, uncertain road to go after California crash, emergency doctor says



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“It’s still in this acute phase where they might still have a lot of work to do in the present, in the moments, in the days to come,” Brigham and Emergency Physician Dr Jeremy Faust told CNN on Wednesday. Boston Women’s Hospital. . “I don’t know if he will return to the operating room or not.”

The 45-year-old was driving in Rancho Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, on Tuesday shortly after 7 a.m. PT, when his SUV crossed a median and veered onto two lanes of road before hitting a curb, hit a tree and land on its side. the brush, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said on Tuesday.

Woods suffered leg injuries that required a rod, screws, pins and a surgical release of the muscle cover – one that surgeons said would save his leg from amputation, Faust said.

Authorities believe the incident was “purely an accident” but will have to remove the black box event recorder from the vehicle to make the decision, Villanueva said. When he saw Woods at the hospital on Tuesday, the 15-time grand champion told investigators he had no recollection of the crash.

Barely a month after his fifth career back surgery, the most recent accident threatens to stall his hopes of returning to golfing glory.

Tiger Woods of the United States looks on after a shot on the second hole in the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in 2020.

He has made returns before

While other golf professionals have recognized that the health of Woods and his family are the most important things to consider right now, neither do they.

He’s already done it, said Rory McIlroy.

Famous from an early age, Woods turned pro in 1996 at just 21, and his talent and charisma transformed him into a global icon. He won 14 notable golf majors from 1997-2008 and looked poised to surpass Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record of 18.

What exactly are Tiger Woods'  injuries?  And what could they mean for his future?
But a series of injuries and personal issues have derailed this career path. In 2009, a car accident outside his Florida home led to far-fetched revelations about his rampant infidelity and the breakdown of his marriage.

After a break from the sport, he returned to golf but without the stifling dominance of his early years. There was also a growing list of injuries, leading to four back operations including spinal fusion surgery, as well as the “dark times” when the pain was so bad he couldn’t even get out of bed or play. with his children.

The operations and pain led to an addiction to opioid pain relievers, and he was arrested for DUI in 2017 in Florida. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving as part of a program to prevent him from serving a prison sentence.
This low point made his return to the top of sport in 2019 all the more astonishing. At the Masters he took the lead and, followed by roaring crowds, notched his first major victory since the US Open in 2008 in one of the great comebacks in the history of the sport.

World No.2 John Rahm has said he hopes Woods will be able to play golf and win more tournaments.

And that he would then be able to retire decently, standing on the iconic Swilcan Bridge in St. Andrew’s golf course in Scotland “and just being able to say goodbye to the game properly.”

Earlier this week, Woods said he hopes to compete at this year’s Masters.
A tow truck recovers the vehicle driven by golfer Tiger Woods in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., After a rollover accident.

Safety devices and seatbelt saved his life, authorities say

Woods was driving a Genesis SUV courtesy vehicle on his own and was said to have been traveling at high speed before the crash, authorities said. There were no skid marks or other braking indications, Villanueva added.

Villanueva said the section of road is “downhill on a curve”, and he and Gonzalez said the area is known to be a problem point for speeding and crashes. The road has experienced 13 accidents since last January.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Assistant Carlos Gonzalez, who responded to the crash, found a lucid Woods still strapped to his seat belt but trapped as the SUV rolled over on the driver’s door.

“I think that the fact that he was wearing a seat belt and that the vehicle’s safety features were functioning as intended by the manufacturer probably helped either reduce his injuries or save his life,” Gonzalez told Chris. Cuomo from CNN.

In the days before his accident, Tiger Woods had taught golf to movie and sports stars

The car he was driving also featured an all-new safety platform, an executive at the automaker said in a statement to CNN.

The safety features of the Genesis GV80 include a strong focus on “areas of protection / enhancement of the passenger compartment,” said Dana White, communications manager for Genesis Motor North America. “This includes the use of advanced high strength steel for rigidity and safety.”

The vehicle was equipped with 10 standard airbags, including a “Genesis-unique center side airbag that deploys between the front seats,” according to White.

While the exterior of the vehicle was mutilated in the crash, the damage inside was such that Woods was able to survive.

We’ve seen crashes with much less obvious (damage) that are fatalities, ā€¯Villanueva told CNN.

CNN’s Cheri Mossburg reported from Los Angeles, Madeline Holcombe wrote from Atlanta. Eric Levenson, Omar Jimenez, Stella Chan, Steve Almasy, David Close, Kevin Dotson, Rob Hodgetts, Jill Martin, Dan Moriarty, Andy Rose and Paul Vercammen contributed to this report.

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