For the first time since his car accident earlier this year, famed pro golfer Tiger Woods discussed his rehabilitation process in an interview with Golf Digest.
As Golf Digest reported, “Woods’ injuries included comminuted open fractures to both his tibia and fibula bones in his right leg. Those required immediate surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center before he was subsequently transferred to Cedars Sinai and, finally, back to South Florida in mid-March to continue his rehab from home. Still unclear is whether additional procedures will be necessary, or if Woods can expect to regain full mobility and strength in his leg.”
“This has been an entirely different animal,” Woods said of his injuries. “I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced.”
When he was asked about his hopes to play golf in the future, Woods had no comment, but said, “My physical therapy has been keeping me busy. I do my routines every day and am focused on my No. 1 goal right now: walking on my own. Taking it one step at a time.”
Woods has been in touch with other professional golfers throughout his recovery process. Before he won the Players Championship in March, Justin Thomas said that Woods encouraged him via text as he tuned in from his home.
“I’m happy and I hope he’s happy, and I always appreciate his help,” Thomas said. “If you would have told us when we were 15, 20 years old that Tiger Woods was texting us the night before we have a chance to win the tournament trying to inspire us, that’s pretty cool.”
Woods posted a picture on Instagram earlier this year of himself on crutches and with a walking boot with a broad smile on his face.
“It’s funny because in that photo, the crutches definitely make my shoulders look big!” he said. “Maybe it’s the workouts, too. It’s been nice having the ability to still stay strong and work out my upper body.”
Woods noted that people have been showing their support for him from all around the world. “It’s been incredible,” Woods said. “I have had so much support from people both inside and outside of golf which means so much to me and has helped tremendously.”
Woods was involved in the crash in February when he was driving to a photoshoot. In March, The Daily Wire reported that law enforcement sources reportedly said they did not believe Woods ever slowed down as he went over a median and into two lanes of oncoming traffic in the incident that held the attention of people all over the world as Wood’s health situation was unknown.
Law enforcement authorities initially said the crash was an accident, but some have questioned that statement.
USA Today reported earlier that “the available evidence in the case indicates Woods was inattentive or asleep when his vehicle went straight into a median instead of staying with his lane as it curved right, multiple forensic experts told USA TODAY Sports.”
Last month, The Daily Wire reported that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the cause of the car crash had been determined but that they could not publicly disclose it because of privacy concerns.
“A cause has been determined; the investigation has concluded,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva in a video conference. “We have reached out to Tiger Woods and his personnel — we need — there’s some privacy issues on releasing information on the investigation, so we’re going to ask them if they waive the privacy, and then we will be able to do a full release on all the information regarding the accident.”
“You have an accident and you have deliberate acts,” said Villanueva, reports USA Today. “It’s an accident, OK. We’re reaching out to Tiger Woods to be able to release the report itself, and nothing has changed from what we know and what we learned throughout the course of the investigation. And everything we did turned out to be accurate.”