The world of sports was rocked by the single-car accident that left PGA legend Tiger Woods with comminuted open fractures — basically, multiple fractures with bone protruding out of the skin and with the tibia and fibula in his right leg — along with trauma to his soft tissue and muscle, along with damage in the ankle bones. Subsequent analysis has suggested that Woods may have fallen asleep at the wheel on the way to an early-morning meeting with two NFL quarterbacks to do promotional filming. Woods’ peers honored him on Sunday by wearing red shirts and black slacks — Woods’ normal Sunday attire — at the PGA’s Workday Championship.
The next question, not just for Golf betting enthusiasts but for golf fans everywhere, is whether Tiger Woods will return to the PGA after recovery. Let’s take a closer look.
PGA News: Will Tiger Woods Play Again?
Obviously, coming back from gruesome leg injuries is something that other athletes have been able to accomplish. Alex Smith, quarterback for the NFL’s Washington Football Team, broke his right fibula and tibia in a game in 2018. It took 16 surgeries to bring total repair to his leg, and at points along the way there were infections that threatened him with amputation and even with death, but his medical team was able to get him through, and he played again this past season, winning the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Other NFL quarterbacks have been able to pull off similar comebacks. Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Donovan McNabb had three different seasons ended by injuries, and he came back every time. In 2008, Tom Brady blew out a knee and had his season ended. However, the long-term effects of that proved negligible, as he just won his seventh NFL championship at the age of 43.
The situation for Tiger Woods is a little different. He is 45 now, and he has already limited his PGA play. He would take off a significant amount of time to get ready for the four major tournaments (the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship), due to rehabilitation from five back surgeries.
In the weekend before the crash, he was a co-host of the Genesis Invitational in California, and he was having difficulty standing up for extended periods of time at that event. The PGA does not permit the use of golf carts during play, so golfers must walk for four or five hours for two days, and if they make the cut they have to do it for two more days. An amateur golf swing requires strong legs; at Tiger’s level, that requirement is even higher. It is hard to get that sort of leverage with the fractures that Tiger suffered in his right leg.
Another matter to consider is that Tiger does not really need to come back. His brand and his name will keep him financially comfortable for the rest of his life. He does not need to pick up a golf club again, unless he wants to. The lack of urgency could also play a role, but there is also the fact that he is 45 years old, and the rehab process will take longer as a result. He would be unlikely to appear in professional tournaments for a year or two at the earliest. The record for oldest winner of a major is still Jack Nicklaus, at the age of 46, and Woods will not be back by then. How much will Tiger want to compete knowing that a major win is even less likely? Do you see Tiger having much of an appetite for the lessened expectations of the Senior Tour.
So in the final analysis, the answer to this question seems to be “No.” However, the mark that Tiger has made on the sport up to now — and could make in the future, if he returns to captain Ryder Cup teams and lead in other events — will definitely stand the test of time.
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