Season Ending Knee Surgery

[Franco!]

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...1&select;=26291
Maybe he damaged something?

[Dent]

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...1&select;=26291

"He experienced a small stress fracture in his left leg about two weeks before the U.S. Open, which was causing him all that pain, and ultimately the doctors feel that he needs ACL surgery and rest to get him back to 100%."

Not sure if that was before when it all first started, or if he did it again, according to that article

[golf_junkie27]

We will soon find out. Although it's terrible, a positive could come from this. Perhaps someone will step up and dominate for the rest of the season and take advantage of that to finally challenge Tiger, next year.

If that does not happen, it will cement Tiger's legacy. That he is the greatest player of his era.

[Puttin4Bird]

I just saw this article myself, I think it's a pretty good decision for Tiger. He can evaluate this season and look at it as a success since he won the US Open, so he rather than risk further damage he is smart to do this now.

I wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery.

[Wisco-Kid]

Well that is too bad. I was really looking forward to watching him play some more this season. It is the right decision though he needs to be 100% and make sure he gets that knee fixed so he can play for a long time to come.
It would really suck for him to continue to play and push through it only to have an incredible career cut short because he caused irreversible damage.

[JKilgore44]

I think I may cry... It just can't be true

[Ben]

I just saw this article myself, I think it's a pretty good decision for Tiger. He can evaluate this season and look at it as a success since he won the US Open, so he rather than risk further damage he is smart to do this now.

I'm with you. I'm sure he's disappointed he can't compete, but I'd imagine he knows his decision is for the best.

See you better than ever in 2009 Tiger!

[teal]

I hope he comes back as good as he always has been. That said I am sure some are feeling 2 different things.

1. Yay - now we don't have to play for 2nd place, we have a chance!
2. Dang. He beat all of us after knee surgery AND a broken leg. I gotta hit the range more and work on this. (stress fracture I know but work with me here....)

ETA: I wonder how that makes some guys feel though - beat by a guy off surgery with a stress fracture in his leg.

Lets say you are playing in the club championship, you lose to a guy who had those injuries - how would it affect you and your motivation?

[iacas]

I just saw this article myself, I think it's a pretty good decision for Tiger. He can evaluate this season and look at it as a success since he won the US Open, so he rather than risk further damage he is smart to do this now.

I agree smart decision.

He played six times worldwide this year. He won five times, and finished second at The Masters. So yeah, I think that's a "successful" year. I wonder how he fractured his leg. Two weeks before the U.S. Open? That'd be the week he would have decided to play at The Memorial. I wonder if he was pushing it too early to try to return and broke his leg somehow. Or maybe he fell down the steps or something. His kid hit him in the head with that putter, not his leg, right? You don't get a stress fracture riding a stationary bike, do you?

[Lemay427]

If the info is correct and its an ACL, the range for recovery is rather broad. I have had a minor tear of the ACL so I know the pain and instability it causes. Tony Hawk, pro skateboarder, had ACL surgery and was skating half pipes in 3 weeks. My doctor said stay off for one month, and I could run in three months.


I hope it gets cleared up and he is ready to go for next season.

[iacas]

From his site:

Source: TigerWoods.com
Tiger Woods To Undergo Reconstructive Knee Surgery and Miss Remainder of 2008 Season

6/18/2008 3:02:00 PM


Doctors assure Woods that long-term prognosis is very good with rehabilitation and training

Just days after winning the 2008 U.S. Open in a dramatic sudden-death playoff, Tiger Woods announced that he will be forced to undergo reconstructive Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery on his left knee and will miss the remainder of the PGA TOUR season.

In addition to the knee surgery, Woods will require the time off to rehabilitate a double stress fracture of his left tibia that was discovered last month just prior to the Memorial Tournament. The stress fractures were attributed to Woods' intense rehabilitation and preparations for the U.S. Open. Doctors have assured Woods that the stress fractures will heal with time.

"I know much was made of my knee throughout the last week, and it was important to me that I disclose my condition publicly at an appropriate time. I wanted to be very respectful of the USGA and their incredibly hard work, and make sure the focus was on the U.S. Open," said Woods. "Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery, and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee."

A date for the knee surgery, as well as the necessary rehabilitation schedule, has not yet been determined.

"While I am obviously disappointed to have to miss the remainder of the season, I have to do the right thing for my long-term health and look forward to returning to competitive golf when my doctors agree that my knee is sufficiently healthy," said Woods. "My doctors assure me with the proper rehabilitation and training, the knee will be strong and there will be no long-term effects."

Woods originally ruptured the ACL in 2007 following The Open Championship when he was running at his home in Orlando. At that point, he elected to not have surgery, and instead attempted to play through the pain. Following the injury, Woods went on to win five of the next six events he entered, including the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the PGA Championship, the BMW Championship, the TOUR Championship and the Target World Challenge, while also finishing second at the Deutsche Bank Championship. He carried that streak over into 2008, winning his first four events of the year, the Buick Invitational, the Dubai Desert Classic, WGC-Accenture Match Play and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

In the fall of 2007, Woods decided to forego a number of playing opportunities to allow the knee time to heal in preparation for the 2008 season. He still experienced pain early in 2008, however, and in an effort to allow him to play through the remainder of the season, elected to have arthroscopic surgery immediately following the Masters to clean out cartilage damage. The cartilage damage in fact developed as a result of the ACL injury, and Woods' hope was that the arthroscopic surgery would get him through the remainder of the season and allow him to delay the ACL surgery until after the season.

"My rehabilitation schedule after the arthroscopic surgery was designed with the goal of returning to play at the Memorial, but the stress fractures that were discovered just prior to the tournament unfortunately prevented me from participating and had a huge impact on the timing for my return," said Woods. "I was determined though, to do everything and anything in my power to play in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, which is a course that is close to where I grew up and holds many special memories for me. Although I will miss the rest of the 2008 season, I'm thrilled with the fact that last week was such a special tournament."

Tiger Woods, ranked number one in the world on the Official World Golf Ranking and leading the 2008 PGA Tour Money Leaders list, has 65 PGA TOUR victories to his credit, including 14 major championships, ranking him third all-time in wins, just eight behind Jack Nicklaus and 17 behind the all-time leader Sam Snead. This past week, Woods also celebrated his 500th week as the number one ranked player in the world, a position he first attained eleven years ago on June 15, 1997.

"I would like to thank my fans and partners for their continual support and can assure everyone that I will be as dedicated to rehabilitating my knee as I am in all other aspects of my career," said Woods

Updates on Woods' surgical and rehabilitation timelines will be provided at a later date once a schedule has been finalized.
###

Contact:
Mark Steinberg
IMG

BTW, stuff happening on Tuesday or Wednesday is a downside to recording a weekly podcast on MONDAY.

[FlopShotArtist]

F***!

Great. Just great.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Ouch. Too bad, he has been playing the greatest golf of his carrer the last 8 months or so. It would have been cool to see what he could have acomphished with the rest of the golf season.

[teal]

500 weeks at #1?

Dang I wasn't aware of that stat. I wonder though, with him bring down the rest of the year, what are the odds he loses that ranking?

[iacas]

500 weeks at #1?

Slim to none. I don't think Phil can overtake him unless he goes on a huge tear.

[teal]

Slim to none. I don't think Phil can overtake him unless he goes on a huge tear.

Ahh - ok so the #1 ranking is safe then. No offense but I don't see Phil doing that. I mean he just got smoked by a one legged man in his back yard As to the knee injury - my brother has had his left knee done twice and the right once. The first time was a motocross accident and local Doc did the work. The second time was skiing and the guy who rebuilt it was the same that did Kobe's in Colorado. Much better repair according to my bro. He was on it a lot sooner. I would speculate that Tiger can afford a good butcher so I think he will be ok going into next year.

[play4him]

That's not good news for Tiger or the Tour. The Ryder Cup is looking bleak for the Americans, as well.

[TigerCurtis333]

If this is what he has to do to possibly save his career than it's a no brainer. It's just unfortunate. Tiger can't become one of those guys who gets hurt and can never recorver - this is a smart move.