Tiger Woods’ recovery from ‘devastating injuries’ will be tough, not impossible, local experts say

LOS ANGELES – In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces his toughest recovery of all.

Woods, 45, was driving through a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal suburbs of Los Angeles when his SUV struck a sign, crossed over a raised median and two oncoming lanes before it toppled down an embankment, coming to a halt on its side.

The airbags deployed. A sheriff’s deputy poked his head through a hole in the windshield to see Woods, still wearing his seatbelt, sitting in the driver’s seat.

The crash caused “significant” injuries all down his right leg that featured rods, pins and screws during what was described as a “long surgical procedure” at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer, said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones on his right leg in multiple locations. Those were stabilized by a rod in the tibia. He said a combination of screws and pins were used to stabilize additional injuries in the ankle and foot.

A statement on his Twitter account said Woods was awake, responsive and recovering.

“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said Carlos Gonzalez, the deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who was the first on the scene after a neighbor called 911.

Dr. Sina Kasraeian, an orthopedic surgeon and sports injury specialist in St. Johns County who has worked with a number of prominent athletes, said Woods’ injuries are devastating, but that if anyone can recover from them, the longtime pro golfer can.

“He’s proven time and time again that he can recover and come back. Everyone’s thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, but this is a guy who has proven over and over again that he can come back,” Kasraeian said. “If anyone can do it, he can do it. But this is a tough recovery. He has an open tibia fracture. That’s a tough one to recover from.”

Kasraeian explained that such injuries are at risk for complications. But, he said, Woods got really good care very quickly.

“This may be a long road ahead for him, but this is something that he’s done before,” Kasraeian said, pointing out that Woods has had over 20 injuries in his career, including five back surgeries, an Achilles injury and an ACL injury.

“These are all things that by themselves each individually could have potentially stopped someone’s career,” Kasraeian said. “But he’s proven that -- his perseverance, his drive, his determination to get back -- all these things put you at a different level. And there’s a lot to be said about your mental state and the human spirit in recovery, and this is a guy who has proven that he has that. He has that drive and he wants to get back. Again, this is a tough recovery.

“But I don’t want to be pessimistic because this guy has proven time and time again that he can come back.”

Despite that optimism, Kasraeian was realistic when he explained that based on how the injuries were described -- he hasn’t seen the images himself -- it will be a challenge for Woods to walk without a limp.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kevin Murphy, also from St. Johns County, said Woods’ bone will eventually heal, and he said Woods could indeed recover and play golf once again.

Murphy is however more concerned about the shattered ankle and possibility of arthritis in the future, and a lack of mobility.

“Could he get back from this, from the tibia, yes, he could -- the ankle part again, if he has a fractured ankle into the joint, and gets arthritis, that could be more of a limiter long term, in term of arthritis and twisting and turning that’s required in the golf maneuvers,” Murphy explained.

Because Woods injury involved a compound fracture, Murphy said exposure to the oxygen outside increases the risk for infection. Blood clots and pulmonary embolisms are other serious short-term concerns.

“As if his body hasn’t endured enough,” Jon Rahm, the No. 2 player in the world, said from the Workday Championship in Florida. “I just hope he can get out of the hospital after recovery and he can still play with his kids and have a normal life.”

The single-car crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable on the golf course with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour. He is among the most recognizable sports figures in the world, and at 45 with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf’s biggest draw.

He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg. His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs, and he returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No. 1.

And then after four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.

Now it’s no longer a matter of when he plays again — the Masters is seven weeks away — but if he plays again.

No charges were filed, and police said there was no evidence he was impaired.

Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Monday and Tuesday had been set aside for Discovery-owned GOLFTV for Woods to give playing tips to celebrities. A tweet Monday showed him in a cart at Rolling Hills Country Club with comedian David Spade. He also worked with NBA great Dwyane Wade, who posted a video to his Instagram account.

Woods was headed to Rolling Hills on Tuesday when the accident happened about 7:15 a.m. as he drove his courtesy vehicle from the Genesis Invitational through the upscale suburbs. Gonzalez says he sometimes catches people topping 80 mph (129 kph) in the 45 mph zone and crashes are common.

Police said Woods was alert as firefighters pried open the front windshield to get him out. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the airbags deployed and the inside of the SUV stayed mostly intact, which “gave him a cushion to survive the crash.”

Authorities said they checked for any odor of alcohol or other signs he was under the influence of a substance and found none. They didn’t say how fast he was driving.

This is the third time Woods has been involved in a car investigation. The most notorious was the early morning after Thanksgiving in 2009, when his SUV ran over a fire hydrant and hit a tree. That was the start of shocking revelations that he had been cheating on his wife with multiple women.

In May 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain. Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.

Woods hasn’t won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in fall 2019, and he’s reduced his playing schedule in recent years because of injuries. Besides his five back surgeries, he’s had four surgeries on his left knee.

He was asked during the CBS broadcast Sunday at Riviera about recovering from his back surgery in time to play the Masters and Woods replied, “God, I hope so. I've got to get there first.”

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Ferguson reported from Jacksonville, Florida. AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds reported from Miami.