Tiger Woods, who endured a painful Masters tournament that saddened millions of golf fans, underwent surgery Wednesday to help alleviate his health issues.
Woods’ Twitter account tweeted a statement announcing the surgery.
“Earlier today, Tiger underwent a subtalar fusion procedure to address his post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture,” the statement read.
“It was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York City. He has determined the surgery to be successful. Tiger is currently recovering and looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation.”
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 19, 2023
Woods, 47, has been hobbled by injuries in recent years, primarily stemming from a serious car accident in early 2021. Videos of him hobbling around Augusta National during the Masters went viral and raised new concerns about his health.
Tiger Woods. Painful to watch. 😬 pic.twitter.com/kMV9WxViQo
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) April 8, 2023
Woods withdrew from the Masters before the third round resumed April 9, citing issues with plantar fasciitis.
The 15-time majors winner shot 3-over in the two rounds he completed, barely making the cut.
Golf fans wished Woods well on Twitter, but many wondered what it means for his future in the sport.
Looked it up. The surgery involves the use of screws, plates, medical nails, and other hardware to achieve bone union. Ankle fusion is considered the gold standard for treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. It trades joint mobility for relief from pain.
— Chick Hernandez (@MrChickSports) April 19, 2023
the subtalar joint is what allows eversion and inversion of the foot during the swing. important not only to complete the turn and rotate the foot, but also to load the back foot during takeaway, and shift weight to front foot during downswing.
he won’t be able to do any of that pic.twitter.com/nKP7WNDP8X
— Tej Sahota (@boatical) April 19, 2023
Ankle mobility doesn’t seem to have been the issue. Really just pain.
— Garrett Harding (@gharding21) April 19, 2023
Get well soon, brother
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) April 19, 2023
Get well soon, GOAT 🐅🐐
— Rory McIlroy Tracker (@RMTracker) April 19, 2023
Get well, soon, Tiger. Hopefully we’ll see you at one of the majors this year?
— Dan Olson (@seattlegolfer) April 19, 2023
Get well soon. I had the exact surgery 6 years ago. At that time, I couldnt walk more than 3 holes. A year later, I was walking 18 3-4 times a week. You will be amazed how good it will feel long term. Good luck!
— Dave Reynolds (@DaveRey64506638) April 20, 2023
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.