The aftermath of Tiger Woods' devastating car crash over three years ago was on full display as the golf icon lent his support to son Charlie at the US Junior Amateur.
Woods, who is taking a five-month hiatus from the sport, watched on as Charlie carded an 82 at Oakland Hills on Monday. However, plenty of eyes were on Tiger and it was hard to ignore the scars on his right leg, which took the brunt of the impact during the life-threatening crash in California.
Back in February 2021, Woods encountered a near-fatal turn of events when his SUV veered off-road and tumbled over multiple times after colliding with a tree.
Woods was quickly rescued from his battered vehicle by firefighters and paramedics, who rushed him to the hospital for urgent care. LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at the time: "The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway."
After the horror experience, golfing icon Woods transitioned from a wheelchair to crutches before leaving fans in awe at being able to still swing a club. At 48, he's fighting through pain to remain in the sport, playing a part-time schedule on the Tour.
Woods' career seems to be winding down as he missed the cut in three of the four majors this year, only showing form at the Masters where he came in 60th. These days, he's more often spotted supporting his son Charlie from the sidelines, adhering to tournament rules that prevent him from coaching.
Despite this, Tiger's passion is clear for all to view, as he was seen whispering words of encouragement to 15-year-old Charlie during the tournament. Charlie aims to follow in his father's footsteps, and the sporting legend can't hide his delight at his son's development.
"His speed has gone dramatically up this year," Tiger remarked at the end of 2023. "He's hitting it past me now. I enjoy caddying for him and being there with him, just to talk through shots with him and have him understand what I would see or... the thought process I would have going through. He would bounce things off of me, and (I would) give him my take on certain things."
