Tiger Woods Tragedy Shadowed The World Golf Championships

Tiger Woods (Twitter @tigerwoods)

JAKARTA - Tiger Woods' car accident loomed over the World Golf Championships (WGC) in Bradenton, Florida, Thursday, February 25, as golfers prepare to compete in this tournament.

Woods, a 15-time major golf tournament champion, was sober and responsive after his car accident in Los Angeles. According to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he underwent surgery to stabilize the fractures of the tibia and fibula, the golfer had many injuries to his feet.

The crash rocked the world of professional sport, prompting some observers to speculate it could end the career of the greatest golfer of his generation.

Notable sports figures, in addition to the two former US presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, expressed their sympathy and prayers.

"What a terrible situation, you never want anything bad to happen to people," said world number one Dustin Johnson, who was informed of the incident while playing his last nine holes in the Concession Golf Club tournament. "Of course I hope to recover soon."

Four-time premier tournament champion Rory McIlroy said he was relieved that Woods' injury did not threaten the golfer's life and flattered the mentality of the 82-time PGA Tour winner. McIlroy points to Woods' remarkable comeback to win the 2019 Masters after undergoing multiple surgeries.

The 31-year-old Northern Irish golfer, who will team up with 2017 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas and American Max Homa in Thursday's opening round, said golfers would remain focused on the WGC.

"Of course we are all going to play a golf tournament and it doesn't seem that different," McIlroy said as quoted by Antara from Reuters.

Tiger Woods badly hurt in car crash, expected to survive https://t.co/11HaTAZH4A pic.twitter.com/YIf2Q499qe

- Reuters (@Reuters) February 23, 2021