Tiger Woods faces difficult recovery after crash

In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces perhaps his toughest recovery of all.

Tuesday's crash in Southern California caused significant injuries to Woods' right leg and he underwent what was described as a "long surgical procedure" at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

The chief medical officer there said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones in multiple locations.

He suffered "open fractures," meaning the skin was broken. The risk of infection can be high for patients with open fractures.

The bones were stabilized by a rod in the tibia and a combination of screws and pins were used for injuries in the ankle and foot.

The crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable on the golf course with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour.

He is among the most recognizable sports figures in the world, and at 45 with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf's biggest draw.

He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg.

Four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.

Now it's no longer a matter of when he plays again, the Masters is seven weeks away, but if he plays again.

Woods hasn't won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in fall 2019, and he's reduced his playing schedule in recent years because of injuries.

Besides his five back surgeries, he's had four surgeries on his left knee.

"I would say, unfortunately, it's very, very unlikely that he returns to be a professional golfer after these injuries," said Dr. Michael Gardner, Chief of Orthopaedic Trauma at Stanford, Woods' alma mater.

"His age, his multiple back issues, this is going to be a very long road ahead if he chooses to attempt to return to his previous level of golfing."

(Image credit: AP)