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45-year-old international golf legend, and 15-time world champion, Tiger Woods was reportedly driving on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes when his vehicle blasted across two lanes, straight into a curb and a tree, finally landing on its side. Experts explain that Tiger Woods is lucky to be alive thanks to "modern safety technology" within the car, and a big side of good luck. CNN reports that Tiger Woods is “awake, responsive and recovering.”
According to CBC News, the good news is that Woods seems to have a high chance of surviving, in addition to a small chance of impairment- even having recently had back surgery. However, many are predicting that this incident could devastate Woods' career.
Sheriff Villanueva recalls that Woods was driving at a very high speed, indicating there were no skid marks or other indications of braking. Villanueva continued to state that the road Woods was on was downhill, at a curved angle; such roads are known to be troublesome due to the risk of speeding drivers. According to Sheriff Deputy Gonzalez, Woods did not seem to be startled, but rather calm and most likely in shock, at the time of the accident.
To rescue Woods, Los Angeles County Fire officials had to break him free using several tactics.
First, the officials broke the windshield with an ax, and used a pry bar to remove the debris around Woods' legs, since he was unable to stand on his own. After this was complete, the firefighters put Woods in a variety of equipment - such as a neck collar and leg splints - in order to get him safely to the hospital.
Before the crash, Woods was most likely going to the Rolling Hills Country Club to shoot with Golf Digest and Golf TV, said Daniel Rapaport, one of Tiger Wood's correspondents for Golf Digest. Woods reportedly had a call arranged at 7:30 am, with the second day of filming commencing at around 8.
It is not certain whether the golfing phenomenon will ever be able to walk properly again. As Woods' career has fluctuated through the years, amid a public divorce and having been charged with drinking under the influence, he ultimately has continued to focus his whole attention on golf, and working his way to the top. Through good and bad, fans all around the world continue to follow his story.
For now, information has not been disclosed as to how long it will take for Woods to recover.
Specialist Dr. Scott Boden - Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine - says there are too many unknown factors, particularly around the extent of his soft tissue injuries and those to his foot and ankle, to say what Woods' recovery might look like. Dr. Boden continues to state, "For an elite athlete like Tiger, he's got as good a chance from coming back from this as anybody does," adding: "We know never to count Tiger out from a recovery."
Ultimately, Tiger Woods has a minimal possibility of regaining his ability to do the thing he does best: golf. However, as of now, his health is the most urgent immediate priority if he is to successfully recover, and even consider the possibility of a career comeback. The crash has not just shocked golf fans, but sports fans across the globe.