Tiger Woods, 46, returned to the golf course two weeks ago for the first time since his horrific car accident in February 2021. Although Tiger — who has won The Masters five times — finished in 47th place, sources close to the legendary athlete told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that he is not giving up on golfing. “Tiger is not devastated. Even if he was 100% healthy, to win The Masters is such a feat,” the source told us.
Following The Masters, which was won by 25-year-old American golfer Scottie Scheffler, Tiger shared his true feelings about the loss on Instagram, admitting that he did not play to his full potential and thanking his fans for sticking by him. “I didn’t play my best out there, but just to have the support and appreciation from all the fans, I don’t think words can describe that. Congratulations to @scottie.scheffler on an outstanding win. It has been a special run,” Tiger said.
As fans know, Tiger’s personal life off of the golf course has been tumultuous, including a high-profile divorce from Swedish model Elin Nordegren, 42, to who he was married to for six years from 2004 to 2010 and shares two children. According to the golfing insider, however, none of that affects Tiger. “He doesn’t listen to the noise or the boos. He is just determined to take it one day at a time and improve. His family is totally on board and that is a big inspiration to continue to move forward,” they told us.
Tiger confirmed that he was playing in The 2022 Masters Tournament on April 5. “As of right now, I feel I am going to play,” Tiger said to People. “I am going to play nine more holes tomorrow. My recovery has been good. I am overly excited about how I have recovered… My team has been fantastic.” This announcement came a little over one year after Tiger nearly lost his life in an accident in Los Angeles. In late February, Tiger was removed from his vehicle by the “jaws of life” after it flipped over several times, resulting in numerous serious injuries, including two broken legs and a shattered ankle. He has made a full recovery.