Dramatic crash threatens champion’s career

Is this man the greatest athlete in history? In the latest of many dramatic life events, Tiger Woods has survived a terrifying car accident, but there are fears he may never play golf again. No one expected to find the driver still alive. He had lost control of his car on a downhill curve; it had veered across the road, hit the curb, crashed into a tree and turned over several times before landing on its side in the brush. But Tiger Woods, the world’s most famous golfer, was conscious and lucid. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva called it "nothing short of a miracle”. Woods, however, was badly injured, and getting him out of the car without making his condition worse was a major challenge. He was still strapped in by his seat belt and the car had rolled onto the driver’s-side door. Firefighters had to break a giant hole in the windscreen with an axe and then pry back the metal around his legs. Once that was done, paramedics were able to put a surgical collar around his neck, attach splints to his legs, and put him on a backboard before inching him out through the windscreen. Woods was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, where he underwent lengthy emergency surgery on both his legs. It involved inserting a metal rod and several screws and pins. Afterwards, he was reported to be "awake, responsive and recovering”. Woods was not in great shape even before the accident. Last month he underwent back surgery for the fifth time, and though he was in Los Angeles to host a golf tournament, he was unable to take part. The crash is yet another setback in a career brimming with highs and lows. Woods’s eye for a ball was spotted by his father when Tiger was less than a year old. At two, he appeared on TV, demonstrating his golfing skills alongside Bob Hope. A few months later, he won a competition for under-10s. By 15 he was US junior amateur champion – a title he won for a record three years in succession. In 1996, aged 20, he turned professional. The following year he became the youngest player ever to win the Masters and to be ranked number one in the world. Sponsorship deals which have now totalled over £1bn began to roll in. When he married a former model, Elin Nordegren, and they had two children, his wonderful life seemed complete. But in 2009 things started to go wrong. It emerged that he had cheated on Elin many times. He took a break from golf to undergo rehab for a problem with prescription medication. Though he apologised publicly for his “irresponsible and selfish behaviour”, his wholesome image was badly dented, and the couple divorced. Then his back problems came to the fore. In the five years after 2012, he took part in only 24 events. In 2017, under the influence of drugs he was prescribed after spinal surgery, he was arrested and found guilty of reckless driving. But in 2019 he made what is considered one of the most amazing sporting comebacks of all time. He won the Masters at Augusta after going 11 years without taking a major title. Is this man the greatest athlete in history? Burning bright Some say, yes. As well as having tremendous sporting ability, Woods’s ability to fight back from appalling situations shows that he has the courage and determination that are the mark of a true champion. The only thing that has prevented him from achieving even more is the bad luck of suffering from serious back problems. If he can overcome his latest injuries his place as the top athlete will be beyond doubt. Others argue that there are plenty of stars who have achieved as much or more. Look at Serena Williams with her 23 Grand Slam singles titles; Usain Bolt with his eight Olympic gold medals; Muhammad Ali, who won three of boxing’s greatest fights; Simone Biles with her 30 combined Olympic and World Championship medals. And Woods is not even the most successful golfer in history: Jack Nicklaus won 18 major titles to his 15. KeywordsLos Angeles - A city in California, USA. It is known for one of its districts - Hollywood, home of the US film industry.