Tiger Woods in hospital: Golf great touched by players wearing red

Sacha Pisani
March 1, 2021 02:04 MYT
Tiger Woods was touched by the support of his peers at the WGC-Workday Championship, expressing his gratitude as he continues to recover following a car crash.

Woods was involved in a single-vehicle incident that saw his car roll "several hundred feet" on Tuesday – the 15-time major champion, who was "very fortunate" to survive, undergoing a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle.

The crash involving Woods rocked the golf and sports community, with four-time major winner Rory McIlroy among the players to have showed their support on Sunday by wearing the American great's traditional final-round outfit amid doubts over his long-term future.

After donning Woods' iconic red shirt and black pants, McIlroy – who finished tied for sixth at The Concession Golf Club in Florida – said: "Obviously things are looking a little better today than they were on Tuesday, but he's still got a ways to go. He's got a huge recovery ahead of him.

It is hard to explain how touching today was when I turned on the tv and saw all the red shirts. To every golfer and every fan, you are truly helping me get through this tough time.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 1, 2021
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"I think it was just for everyone to show their appreciation for what he means to us out here. If there was no Tiger Woods, I just think the Tour and the game of golf would be in a worse place.

"He's meant a lot to us, he still does mean a lot to us, and I think that was just a little way to show that."

Woods then tweeted: "It is hard to explain how touching today was when I turned on the tv and saw all the red shirts.

A birdie in Sunday red. @McIlroyRory is just two shots back.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/gX79T4yAXf

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2021
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"To every golfer and every fan, you are truly helping me get through this tough time."

American Collin Morikawa, 24, followed in the footsteps of Woods after claiming the WGC-Workday Championship by three strokes.

Winner of last year's U.S. PGA Championship, four-time PGA Tour champion Morikawa joined Woods as the only players to win a major championship and WGC event before turning 25.

"I don't think we say thank you enough, so I want to say thank you to Tiger." A powerful message from @Collin_Morikawa after his win @WGCWorkday. pic.twitter.com/U40YuxrNUM

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2021
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Further to that feat, Morikawa also became the seventh player to clinch four or more PGA Tour tournaments – including a major – under the age of 25 after Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jerry Pate.

Morikawa paid tribute to Woods, saying: "Tiger means everything to me. Yes, he had the crash and thankfully he's alright and hopefully he has a quick and great recovery, but I don't think we say thank you enough. So, I want to say thank you to Tiger."

#Rory McIlroy #Tiger Woods #Golf #European Tour #PGA Tour #WGC-Cadillac Championship