Tiger Woods Plans to Compete in the Masters, Nearly 14 Months After Car Accident

variety.com:

Zack Sharf Tiger Woods announced Tuesday, April 5 that he intends to compete in the 2022 Masters Tournament, set to begin April 7 at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

Woods has won the Masters Tournament five times. The golfer’s involvement in the 86th edition of the Masters Tournament had been in question given that it’s been just 14 months since he was hospitalized and underwent surgery after a severe car accident.“As of right now, I feel like I am going to play,” Woods said in a press conference ahead of the tournament (via The New York Times). “I love competing, and I feel like if I can still compete at the highest level, I’m going to… [I would not] show up to an event unless I think I can win it.” When asked if he believed he could win his sixth Masters title, Woods replied, “I do.” The golfer added that “walking is the hard part” about competing in the Masters because of the topographical challenges of the August National Golf Club course.Woods was hospitalized on February 23, 2021 and underwent surgery after being involved in a roll-over car accident in Los Angeles.

The golfer was the only person in the car, which flipped over and sustained major damage. Firefighters and paramedics had to use a rescue tool to extract him from the vehicle, and he was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center to be treated for his injuries.Anish Mahajan, M.D., the chief medical officer and interim CEO at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, detailed Woods’ surgery at the time, writing, “Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia.