Tiger Woods says he won’t play golf full-time again: ‘I accept it’
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By Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Months after suffering serious injuries in a car crash in Southern California, golfing legend Tiger Woods said he does not expect to play the sport full-time ever again.
Speaking with the magazine for his first in-depth interview since the February crash in Los Angeles County left him with shattered tibia and fibula bones in his right leg, Woods said he would likely “pick and choose a few events a year” to play.
“I don’t have to compete and play against the best players in the world to have a great life,” he said, according to Golf Digest. “After my back fusion, I had to climb Mt. Everest one more time. I had to do it, and I did. This time around, I don’t think I’ll have the body to climb Mt. Everest, and that’s OK. I can still participate in the game of golf. I can still, if my leg gets OK, I can still click off a tournament here or there.”
Woods has spent months recovering after authorities said he lost control of a 2021 Genesis GV80 and wrecked on Feb. 23. He told Golf Digest that his recovery has been frustrating, as he expected it to progress much quicker than it has, and that he thought at one point he might not be able to keep his injured leg. He said it was particularly rewarding when, after spending months recovering in bed at his home, then being confined to a wheelchair, he was able to use crutches and regain his independence.
“I hadn’t been able to do the one thing I love to do: I love to go outside and just be outside,” he told Golf Digest. “Sometimes I just crutch and lay on the grass for an hour because I want to be outside.”
Last week, Woods posted a video of himself swinging a golf club on social media with the caption, “Making progress.” He told Golf Digest, however, that he has a long way to go before he can compete on the PGA Tour again.
“I’m not even at the halfway point,” he said. “I have so much more muscle development and nerve development that I have to do in my leg. At the same time, as you know, I’ve had five back operations. So I’m having to deal with that. So as the leg gets stronger, sometimes the back may act up. … It’s a tough road.”
Woods, a 15-time major champion, last played in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, in December 2020. Woods is tied with Sam Snead for the most victories in PGA Tour history at 82 wins.
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years Here are some memorable photos of golf legend Tiger Woods through the years. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1992: Tiger Woods watches his shot during the 1992 Los Angeles Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, on Feb. 27, 1992. (Gary Newkirk/Allsport via Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1993: Tiger Woods hits a shot during the 1993 Los Angeles Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, on Feb. 26, 1993. (Gary Newkirk/Allsport via Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1994: Tiger Woods of the USA enjoys himself during the World Amateur Team Cup held in Versailles, France, in September 1994. (Anton Want/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1995: Tiger Woods of the United States holds the trophy after winning the United States Amateur Championship golf tournament on August 27, 1995, at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. (J.D. Cuban/Allsport/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1996: Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates with the trophy and two Showgirl performers after winning his first professional golf tournament at the PGA Las Vegas Invitational on October 6, 1996, at the TPC Summerlin Golf Course, Desert Inn, Las Vegas. (J.D. Cuban/Allsport/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1997: Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates after sinking a 4-foot putt to win the US Masters Golf Tournament with a record low score of 18 under par on April 13, 1997, at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. (Stephen Munday/Allsport/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1998: Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates his play-off victory over Ernie Els of South Africa during the Johnnie Walker Classic on January 25, 1998, at the Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket, Thailand. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 1999: Tiger Woods poses with his trophy after the NEC Invitational World Golf Challenge at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, on Aug. 29, 1999. (Jon Ferrey/Allsport via Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2000: Tiger Woods of the United States keeps his eye on his shot during the World Golf Championships WGC-American Express Championship golf tournament on November 12, 2000, at the Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, San Roque, Spain. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2001: Tiger Woods pumps his fist on the 18th green after winning the 2001 Bay Hill Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida, on March 18, 2001. (Craig Jones/ALLSPORT via Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2002: Golfer Tiger Woods poses with girlfriend Elin Nordegren during the opening Ceremony for the 34th Ryder Cup on September 26, 2002, in Sutton Coldfield, England. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2003: Tiger Woods holds the Gene Sarazen Cup after winning the American Express Championship at the Capitol City Club on October 5, 2003, in Woodstock, Georgia. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2004: USA team member Tiger Woods with his fiance Elin Nordegren arriving at the 35th Ryder Cup Matches Gala Dinner at the Fox Theater on September 15, 2004, in Detroit. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2005: Tiger Woods hits from the seventh tee during the final round of the 2005 Target World Challenge Presented by Countrywide at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, on December 11, 2005. (Steve Grayson/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2006: Tiger Woods holds the winner's trophy after defeating Jose Maria Olazabal and Nathan Green in a playoff during the final round of the PGA TOUR's 2006 Buick Invitationa at Torrey Pines South in La Jolla, California, on January 29, 2006. (Steve Grayson/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2007: Tiger Woods during the final round of the 2007 Wachovia Championship held at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 6, 2007. (Richard Schultz/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2008: Tiger Woods reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008, in San Diego. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2009: In this handout released by the White House, U.S. President Barack Obama (left) talks with professional golfer Tiger Woods in the Oval Office of the White House on April 20, 2009, in Washington, D.C. (Pete Souza/White House via Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2010: Tiger Woods makes a statement from the Sunset Room on the second floor of the TPC Sawgrass, home of the PGA Tour on February 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Woods publicly admitted to cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren but maintained that the issues remain "a matter between a husband and a wife." (Lori Moffett-Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2011: Tiger Woods lines up a putt on the 12th green during the first round of the 93rd PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club on August 11, 2011, in Johns Creek, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2012: Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates after holing out from a bunker for birdie on the 18th hole during the second round of the 141st Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club on July 20, 2012, in Lytham St. Annes, England. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2013: Tiger Woods of the United States chips the ball while skier Lindsey Vonn watches ahead of the 142nd Open Championship at Muirfield on July 15, 2013, in Gullane, Scotland. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2014: Tiger Woods of the United States reacts on the seventh tee during the second round of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 8, 2014, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2015: Tiger Woods of the United States watches his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the 2015 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2016: Tiger Woods attends the Tiger Woods Foundation's 20th Anniversary Celebration at the New York Public Library on October 20, 2016, in New York City. (Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2017: Golfer Tiger Woods appears in Palm Beach County court October 27, 2017, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Woods plead guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor reckless driving charge. (Lannis Waters-Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2018: Tiger Woods of the United States looks on during a practice round prior to the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club on August 7, 2018, in St. Louis. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2019: U.S. President Donald Trump gives professional golfer and business partner Tiger Woods the Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House on May 6, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2020: Tiger Woods of the United States plays his shot from the eighth tee during the second round of the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on August 7, 2020, in San Francisco. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years 2021: Tiger Woods on hand at the trophy presentation ceremony after the final round of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 21, 2021, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years Tiger Woods speaks during his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert/AP)
Photos: Tiger Woods through the years ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 17: Tiger Woods of the United States during the final round of the PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 17, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)