In a recent conversation with Jimmy Fallon, Rory McIlroy hinted that Tiger Woods is close to leaving the hospital. Woods had been receiving medical care for the past two weeks following a crash on February 23 that caused significant injuries to his leg.
The accident left Tiger Woods with several fractures in his right leg, necessitating hours of surgery and a later transfer to another hospital for continued care. Although he has exchanged text messages with a few colleagues in the sport, there hasn't been an official health update from his team since February 28.
While competing at the Players Championship this week, Rory McIlroy joined 'The Tonight Show' via a virtual link on Tuesday and shared that he had recently spoken with Woods.
McIlroy noted that the golf icon is doing better and mentioned that many of their peers have sent their best wishes. He expressed hope that a positive week ahead would see Woods returning home to reunite with his family and focus on healing. He believes the global sporting community is sending positive energy for his recovery.
Woods had been in Southern California for the Genesis Invitational from February 19-21, a tournament he hosts every year. He remained in the area for an extra couple of days to fulfill commitments with one of his sponsors. The crash happened early in the morning while he was driving to one of these appointments on a hilly road in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Emergency responders arrived quickly and transported him to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. McIlroy later mentioned that he had heard from Woods both before and after the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
According to McIlroy, Woods sent him a few encouraging words via text on Sunday before the final round at Bay Hill. Even from his hospital bed, Woods continued to message McIlroy about his performance, with McIlroy noting that Tiger's sharp wit remained intact despite the circumstances.
McIlroy on his game. McIlroy felt Woods of being at his wittiest even from his hospital bed.
The two golfers are neighbors in South Florida, and they share a close bond; in fact, back in January, it was McIlroy who first leaked that Woods had a back procedure on December 23, beating the official announcement from Woods' camp.