Tiger Woods feared he’d never walk again as he prepares for ‘historic Open’ after dark days in rehab following car crash
GOLF legend Tiger Woods feared he would never walk again after his horrific car crash which resulted in having a major surgery on his right leg.
The February accident left Woods with compound fractures in his right leg and a shattered ankle, casting his golfing future into doubt.
However, after intense rehab, he committed to playing a few events a year and made the weekend at The Masters in April.
Woods then played at the US PGA Championship.
But the American withdrew after three rounds due to a pain in his right leg.
And he missed last week’s US Open as a result.
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But the 46-year-old is determined to tee off at St Andrews on Thursday, where he won the first two of his three Claret Jugs.
Woods will be in a group also featuring US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and Max Homa.
He said on Tuesday on his fear of not walking again: “For the most part of my rehab I was just I was hoping that I could walk again, you know, walk normal and have a normal life and maybe play a little hit-and-giggle golf with my son or my friends at home.
“But lo and behold, I’ve played championship golf this year.
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“And once I realised that I could possibly play at a high level, my focus was to get back here at St Andrews to play in this championship being, as I said, it’s the most historic one we’ve ever had.
“I just didn’t want to miss this Open here at the home of golf.
“This has meant so much to me. This is where I completed the career Grand Slam.
“At the time I had the record in scoring in all four major championships. So it meant a lot to me. This venue has meant a lot.
“I remember coming around here, my very first practice round, I couldn’t believe how stupidly hard this place is because I played every hole into the wind.
“I happened to have the tide change, and I played every hole into the wind. Where do you drive some of these par-fours?
“This is not what people say it is. All of a sudden it changes, and I see, no, these bunkers are now in play.
“It’s amazing the ingenuity that they had then that this golf course has stood the test of time to the best players.”
HISTORIC OPEN
Woods says The Open “feels more historic” than it normally was as it celebrates 150 years.
He continued: “It really does. It feels more historic than it normally has.
“And it’s hard to believe that because we are coming back to the home of golf. It is history every time we get a chance to play here.
“But there’s so much that’s going on this week that to be able to play yesterday with Lee Buck and to hear him chatting the entire time over every shot as he’s hitting the shot, and just to be able to have that type of experience.
“And tonight we’re going to have our Champions’ Dinner, because we only do it here.
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“It’s hard to believe, it’s been 150 years we’ve played this tournament, and it’s incredible, the history behind it, the champions that have won here.
“As I said, it’s hard to believe it’s more historic, but it really is. It does feel like that. This does feel like it’s the biggest Open Championship we’ve ever had.”