Having written that title a couple of times previously over the last decade, the latest single car accident happened this morning in the LA area. Details are slow to come out, but Woods was rushed to the hospital with multiple leg injuries. LAPD confirmed that the injuries were not life threatening.
The forum community has been active in the discussion and you can join in below in the comments section.
I think you have stated a proper perspective. Let’s hope first that he can recover. Without knowing the full extent of his injuries and his prognosis, I wouldn’t get caught up in speculation as to whether he will play competitive golf again. Personally, I would expect that he will need to undergo further procedures as the surgery he has undergone was likely focused on saving his leg. And I can assume that with a comminuted fracture and additional injuries to his foot and ankle and having a rod, screws and pins in his leg and ankle, one surgery is not the end of this stage. Hopefully, there will be no infection from the compound fracture.
The guy I work with knows that area well. He said that road does indeed have some serious grade and can be quite hazardous.
With a two year winning fight (finally!) with MCD and a automobile accident that broke 9 bones and sent me into 15 hours of life saving emergency surgery, golf post that has been both a blessing and a mystery.
I’ve lost some speed. But at least the loss of control both directions makes up for it. ?
I thought the whole point was that the grade of the hill lent itself to an unwilling increase in speed.
I am a sportsmedicine trained doctor and too early to tell. Alex Smith is playing QB after 18 surgeries and others have come back and Woods is an athlete with very strong will and access to the best of care. He was treated at a top tier trauma center. Don’t bet against him IMO.
Well if he saw the curb and was trying to correct it he hit it with it loaded on the left side in an SUV so honestly you can flop it easily going the speed limit. Adding in the steepness of the hill he could have started at the top at the speed limit and gained a bunch even with his foot off the gas.
I believe the Sheriff said it appeared the vehicle was traveling at high speed.
All I know, and we all know, is that **** happens. We will find out eventually. I can wait.
It’s terrible that this occurred, especially as Tiger was rounding out as a good human and we started to appreciate him in that way, as well as a great golfer.
Super common, in serious accidents.
I have to believe the Hogan accident of so long ago and given much lesser technology was worse and he overcame. So I’m not placing any bets against him
While I think what you say is a prudent course, if Tiger wanted to drive himself, then Steinberg stood little to no chance of convincing him to have a driver.
Of course he doesn’t.
The sheriff said he was speeding. Many in this thread seem to believe he was likely texting while driving.
Reading the article it is obvious the writer dislikes or possibly even hates Tiger. He goes so far as to reference Tigers father getting a contract while Tiger was an amateur like it has something to do with this accident. Notably absent from this journalists article is any reference to this stretch of road , its condition and as some have posted a spot at least to those familiar with it knew it to be hazardous and potentially dangerous. This journalist also states as if its a fact that “ leaving no skid marks to indicate that he applied his breaks, then rolled up an embankment” falsely claiming as fact that he never applied or tried to apply his breaks. I doubt this journalist is a certified accident reconstruction expert but i would think at the very least he would have consulted one before claiming as fact things he knows nothing about. The simple fact he claims Tiger without applying his brakes “ rolled up an embankment” when everything i have seen talks about the severity of the downhill slope of the road including the embankment has a significant drop think i read somewhere up to 300 feet ( to the point those truck ramps you see on hilly roads were installed ) shows he is clueless .I dont know all the facts but there is enough present to give rise to a variety of explanations including his speed coupled with his unfamiliarity with the road which in and by itself could cause vehicle to increase speed as it went downhill coupled with a one or two second distraction which could have come in any form leading to this accident. How many can honestly say they have never exceeded the posted speed limit, never dropped something and reached for it ,never been distracted by a phone or something. A second or two distraction could lead to an accident. How many have never caught themselves swerving or not seeing something you should have seen until the last second and then had a near miss. None of that would make someone a bad person because these things do happen. I have no problem with people discussing and having theories. I have no problem with anyone posting thoughts and theories here. I do have a problem with a “journalist” in a national worldwide read publication writing things like this person did, stating not as possibilities but as fact things they were wrong about , know nothing about and obviously did absolutely nothing to get a full picture of the facts. I dont know exactly what happened that day or what the cause or multiple causes or contributing factors were and hopefully we will ger a clearer picture from the experts , the contents of the vehicles computer that stores information and a full and complete accident reconstruction As im sure you can tell i think what that “ journalist” did was unfair and it bothers me.
As someone with some familiarity with the newspaper in question (it does have a very good sports section), this is who and what the reporter is.
I’m the father of 3 and I share with my kids periodically my thoughts on probability. Basically if you do high risk stuff often enough sometimes you are on the short end of the outcome. I’ve done a bunch of stupid stuff in my life and just lucky enough not to have my number called (yet)
Like Bruce Springsteen getting out of his DUI here. He refused the breathalyzer, which in NJ is an automatic admission of guilt .. pretty sure he got the charges dropped all together
I read the NY Post article last night. I’m not a Tiger fan in the least (to put it mildly), and even I thought that article was an over-the-top hit piece by a journalistic hack with an axe to grind.
I read an article that says he was .02 on the breathalyzer. In NY the limit which used to be .10 is now . 08. If the article was correct .02 is nothing. When it was .10 i used to be able to get plea deals to traffic infractions for people who blew .09 or lower. Dont know the particulars of the case and when i heard it was dismissed i thought that sounded strange when i read the breathalyzer was.02 i understood ( if the article was accurate) . If the breathalyzer was also administered before charges were filed ( which typically is the case) unless there is a refusal not sure why he was originally charged with driving while intoxicated. And he apparently plead guilty to a minor violation which im guessing is the standard offer in cases like his.
He refused and they drew blood. Sounds like an over zealous officer plus an entitled celebrity led to a lot of wasted time and money.
either way, at my various jobs I have had people who were convicted with less than .08 (but never as low as .02), but there could have been other circumstances like an accident involved
Amazing he is sitting right next to Snead, and just might not break it..
Totally agree just a very strange situation. I havent done a DWI in years ( dont do criminal anymore) but im not surprised that people get convicted at .08 or less because i know municipalities are much tougher on these now. And if he did refuse the breath test i understand why the original charges were filed. Lol im sure there are some current or former law enforcement officers here who will say what i have heard from many officers over the years “ everyone says they only had two or a couple drinks”
In California, there were two DUI sections – 23152(a)CVC prohibits driving while under the influence, 23152(b) VC prohibits driving with a BAC of 0.08% or greater. If impairment was proven, you could get a filing on the (a) section even when the BAC was below .08%.
And yeah, the standard answer was “Two beers”. And the response was often “Those must have been some pretty big frikkin’ beers!” ?
Seemed like 83 was a given after he won’t the Masters.
Moderate opinions don’t generate many clicks.
If he wins on the PGA Tour again after this, I think it would be a top one or two comeback story in professional golf. Hogan’s injuries may have been more severe, but he was much younger. At this point, he is far from the Alex Smith story, but I just don’t see him winning again.
Ha! I knew you to be a doc.
I agree. Do not count him out. Ever. Ever.
You have far more knowledge than any of us. How much difference will it make in the recovery process that Tiger is 45, compared to Alex Smith’s 36 years. Being an avid University of Utah fan, I have followed Alex’s story closely and it has to be the one of the most amazing stories of determination I have ever heard. Tiger likely will not have the complications, but in terms of regaining a golf game, 45 seems awfully old.
No.
That is not Tiger. Let me say a couple things I have observed. If you disagree that’s fine.
1. Tiger will determine if he’ll play and/or compete again. It’s his choice.
2. If Tiger decides he’ll compete again, he’ll compete. Not compete for the cut. He’ll compete to win. Might not be every week but at least once a year there’ll be a red shirt Sunday.
At his age, injury history and this accident, if he were to come back and manage to win ANY PGA Tour event, he would be considered basically superhuman.
Age is a factor but I think it depends more on how severe exactly the multiple injuries were and any complications in the short term as far as playing within a year or two. What has been put on in the press are the basics of the injuries and not the intricate details that will drive how fast he recovers and to what extent. However, I strongly believe he has incredible drive and access to the very best care/rehab and I honestly expect him to return as a pro golfer at some point on what put out so far, unless he sustains a severe and likely unexpected complication. How successful he remains to be seen and may be in part due to any sustained limitations of the injuries, the long layoff and the fact he was not performing at the Tiger Woods usual level before the crash. Of course that is just the physical part, perhaps the injury has changed his mental outlook. No one could blame him though if he said after the injuries I am not coming back to the tour as least for a long, long while. I was a past medical leader of ortho and rehab devices area at FDA and the advances in care and technology today are simply incredible in that field. Overall, if I was asked to bet I would lay it on him coming back to the tour at least someday. Winning? Anyone but Tiger I would strongly lean against but again would not bet again this person after his incredible career and coming back before.
Even before this accident he was recovering from yet another surgery.
I hope he has the courage to never play again instead of doing further damage to his body. To accept his truly amazing career and be done with competitive Golf…..
In his own mind is there a ‘POSSIBLE’ desire to play golf again.. Now the eyes of the world are already looking to him… when can he play again?. That pressure has to be crushing. I’m all for just leaving the guy alone and letting him enjoy life as best he can.
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Tiger would play a bag full of game improvement irons and hybrids before he would ever entertain taking a cart in a PGA tour event. If Tiger can’t play 18 and walk, he will not play.
I was listening to a radio broadcast of Real Golf Radio this morning. They had a noted medical authority on the show and this was is point. He felt like there is a good chance that Tiger can get back to playing at a high level, but the pain of walking four days in a row, up and down hills may make it impossible to compete on Tour. He spoke of some other unnamed former Tour player who had similar injuries and ended his career because he could not do the walking.
Should read "if Tiger can’t play 18 and win, he will not play." He’s made it very clear over the years that if he feels like he isn’t in shape enough to win, he won’t bother showing up. He’d probably crawl from hole to hole if he knew his swing was good enough to win. He practically did in the US Open.
That U.S. Open round with Rocco is an indelible reminder of Tiger’s willpower.
I am sure he was at least going 60 but that hill I think you hit well over 60 if you are going the speed limit at the top and don’t even hit the gas once.
I don’t care how old Alex Smith was. He was seriously close to facing amputation because of a severe bacterial infection in his leg. Coming back from that to play QB in the NFL is as you have stated, one of the most amazing stories of determination
As others have said, the comeback player of the year trophy should be named after Alex Smith. I don’t know of another story like it. Ever…
Apparently, authorities obtained a search warrant to take possession of the black box, based upon the probable cause created by the affidavit. This makes me wonder why there was not probable cause to get a blood sample for toxicology testing. I wonder if some decision makers just decided not to go there. I wonder if Tiger were an ordinary citizen, would the authorities have gotten a blood sample.
I would be interested in what was the probable cause alleged in the affidavit for the search warrant for the black box. Reckless driving? But, nothing as far as impairment to give pc for a blood draw?
As I understand it, a search warrant can be issued even for fairly minor traffic violations, such as speeding. I know of the term “black box,” but have always heard of it with respect to airplane crashes. I didn’t even realize that our vehicles had a black box that was recording what is going on with our cars. Man, everything seems to be recorded nowadays.
I Don’t believe black boxes are in every vehicle. I believe this model of Genesis has them.
I just assumed reckless driving because that, at least in NY, is a misdemeanor as opposed to a traffic violation. Many cars have event data recorders. I believe that upon air bag deployment the recorder will record back several seconds and will give the speed, whether the brakes were being engaged , if seat belt were engaged and I believe it can determine if steering was involved.