“Oh it could have been far worse” - When Tiger Woods opened up about his accident ahead of the Masters
Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour in 2022 to take part in the Masters. His return to the Tour made headlines as it came following his recovery from a car crash in February of 2021. The 15-time Major winner came out of the incident largely unharmed but things could have been worse.
Woods crashed his SUV near the Rolling Hills Estates, just outside of Los Angeles. He was reportedly speeding when his car struck a curb and toppled to the side of the road.
Images from the accident site showed the car totaled, raising concerns about Tiger Woods’ health. The American golfer spent around three weeks at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after nearly losing a leg.
Woods suffered fractures to both the tibia and the fibula in his right leg, which took months to recover. The athlete pushed through and made his comeback at the Masters earlier this year.
Speaking ahead of the big event, Tiger Woods addressed his accident and said that it could have been 'far worse'. The golfer admitted that he got 'lucky' during the crash and thanked the medical professionals involved in his recovery.
Speaking about the crash and his recovery in an interview with CBS ahead of the Masters, Tiger Woods said:
“Oh, it could have been far worse. I got very lucky, and I am so thankful to all the doctors here that have put the leg back together again because I could have easily lost it. I still have my own limb, so I’m very thankful for that. I’m just really thankful for all the people and all their support and love."
"I mean, the amount of texts I got from the guys out here that are out on the Tour that I have become close to, or not even close to, which is the whole Tour in general — we’re a big fraternity out here and just the love and support that they gave me and the push that they gave me through all these months of rehab has been incredible.”
Tiger Woods went on to reveal that he would make a strong comeback at the Masters. Speaking ahead of the event, he stated that he was hungry for results and added:
“I don’t want to come out here and just play… That’s how I am. I need to feel that I’m confident that I can beat these guys, and I got to do the legwork at home. It’s on me… You will see me on the PGA Tour.”
Tiger Woods' return to the Masters
Woods made a sensational return to the sport this year after recovering from the crash but failed to make a mark at the Masters. He finished way down the order at 47th position. It was still a commendable effort considering the amount of time he spent away from the golf course due to his injuries.
The 46-year-old’s comeback at the Masters got off to a good start but the American golfer struggled in the later stages and carded a brutal +13 over four rounds.
It is pertinent to note that the 47th position finish was the former champion’s lowest ever. However, Tiger Woods received a payout of $43,500 for his attempt.