Despite controversies always surrounding Tiger Woods, he had always overcome them to give fitting replies to his critics. While everyone keeps talking about his 15 major wins and his dominance on the PGA Tour, nobody talks about how he nurtured himself over 20 years. However, the American writer Bob Harig is certainly different from others as he reveals the golf legend’s unseen side in his new book, ‘Drive: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods’.
Woods’ front-nine was full of victorious moments but his back-nine career got him embroiled in several controversies and injuries. However, as per Harig, the golf great’s inner hunger kept him pushing hard and overcoming any hurdles that he faced. As quoted by Golf Digest, the American writer wrote,
“To accumulate the résumé he did in 20-plus years of professional golf, there had to be an inner fortitude that pushed him… an attitude that did not allow him to settle for what likely would have been good enough.”
After his infidelity scandal in 2009, the world questioned if Tiger Woods was done for good. But the 82-time PGA Tour winner came back stronger winning eight titles between 2012 and 2013.
Post 2013, he suffered a five-year win drought that sparked the same question again. However, the legendary golfer’s hunger to win titles got him to wear the green jacket for the fifth time at the 2019 Masters.
How did Tiger Woods’ 2021 car accident almost ruin his career?
Golf may not seem to be a physical game on television, but it is to some extent. Although golf carts may be available on golf courses, the PGA Tour does not allow players and their caddies to use them. Instead, they walk all across the course, at least twice, and four times if the player makes the cut. This was one of the reasons why Woods’ career seemed to go down after the 2021 car accident.
Just a day ahead of the 2021 Genesis Invitational, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that the pro golfer was involved in a car crash. However, they did not file any charges on Tiger Woods as it was purely an accident. The golf legend was reported to have suffered serious injuries, specifically, on his legs.
This injury eventually led to Woods taking an indefinite break from professional golf. After almost a 14-month hiatus, he did make a comeback at the 2022 Masters but seemed to struggle physically. Even in his second start post-comeback, at the 2022 PGA Championship, he had to withdraw after a screw pierced his skin. Also, the American golfer again withdrew from the 2023 Masters due to plantar fasciitis.
His career has not been the same since the car accident. He had to undergo a subtalar fusion procedure to treat his injured leg earlier in 2023. However, that may have treated him physically, but his game has turned rusty. But it is noteworthy that the ace golfer may not be leading golf’s premiere leaderboards, but he is still the same guy who conquered the game for decades.
