Tiger Woods made it public on Wednesday that he has had extra surgery on his severely wounded right leg from his 2021 automobile accident.
According to a statement posted on Woods’ Twitter account, Woods’ most recent treatment was a fusion of the subtalar joint to treat his post-traumatic arthritis from his prior talus fracture.
The subtalar joint is situated between the talus bone and heel bone, directly below the ankle joint.
According to doctors, a subtalar fusion is ideal for unhealthy joints that cannot be replaced. A fusion can restore function and significantly reduce pain once it has healed as a single piece.
Woods’ return to the course was not given a timeframe. Dr. Martin O’Malley performed the operation at HSS Sports Medicine in New York City. According to the statement, O’Malley confirmed the procedure was a success.
The last time Woods was spotted was at the Masters, where he was forced to leave during the third round due to plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the tissue that goes from the heel bone to the toes along the sole of the foot.
When play at Augusta National was halted owing to poor weather, videos posted to social media showed Woods limping badly. At the time the third round of the competition was suspended for the day, Woods still had 28 holes to play.
“In my opinion, he couldn’t play more than 27 holes in a day out here.” his caddie, Joe LaCava, told the New York Post before the competition began.
Woods was also referred to as “pretty banged up” by LaCava. “He still possesses the strength, quickness of swing, strokes, and length to compete. The damage is severe, but if he could use a cart, he might be able to compete tomorrow,” he added.
Since his car accident in Southern California, Woods has participated in five events. In four of those starts, he has made the cut, but he has played all 72 holes in only two competitions. At the Genesis Invitational this year and the Masters’ Tournament last year, he played four rounds of golf in an unexpected comeback.
He withdrew from the Masters this year, missed the cut in the Open at St. Andrews, and the PGA Championship in 2022.
At Augusta National, Jason Day said that Woods was forced to withdraw from the PGA Championship in 2017 because “a screw went through his skin.”
Woods shot a second-round score of 69 at Southern Hills to make the cut, before he shot a third-round score of 79 and withdrew.
“He appeared to be working quite hard yesterday. He had to come back out and play through the rain and the chilly Saturday morning before taking a brief break and returning to the field to play once more, so it was certainly difficult to watch. The circumstances weren’t ideal for him to at least finish the round. It’s disappointing, but that’s where his body is at the moment. ” Day made a comment on the Masters’ last day this year. In December, Woods’ plantar fasciitis made it difficult for him to participate in the Hero World Challenge, which he had planned to do.
However, Woods made a strong impression in his 2023 Riviera debut, starting with a 69 and shooting a 67 in the third round. While acknowledging that his mobility was not quite where he would have liked it to be, he claimed that his memories of the Masters, which he has won five times, encouraged him to participate.
In that press conference, he acknowledged that he was unsure of how many more appearances he will make at Augusta National.
Following his 2021 car accident, Woods had to have significant surgery on his right leg. His ankle bones were also fractured, along with the top and lower sections of his tibia and fibula.
“It’s a blessing that I have this leg. I own it. Although it has been modified, it is still mine. It’s been difficult and always will be. My leg’s capacity and endurance won’t ever be the same in the future. I recognize that. I can’t practice as much or compete in as many events because of this, but that’s okay because that’s what my future holds. That’s fine with me.” he concluded.
