Rory: We’re just glad Tiger’s alive

RORY McIlroy believes thoughts of Tiger Woods resuming his career following his horrifying car accident should not be ‘even on the map at this point’.

Woods underwent surgery on significant injuries to his right leg after the single-vehicle accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.

A statement on his website said the 15-time major winner was ‘responsive and recovering in his hospital room’ following the operation where open fractures to his tibia and fibula and further injuries to his foot and ankle were stabilised with the insertion of a rod, screws and pins.

The severity of the injuries has inevitability raised questions about whether Woods will be able to return to competitive action, but McIlroy’s concerns lay elsewhere.

“He’s not Superman, he’s a human being at the end of the day and he’s already been through so much so at this stage everyone should just be grateful that he’s here, he’s alive, that his kids haven’t lost their dad,” said McIlroy.

“That’s the most important thing. Golf is so far from the equation right now. It’s not even on the map at this point.

“I think we’re all sort of heading towards that day that Tiger wasn’t going to be a part of the game. I’m not saying that that was soon. Before this accident, he was rehabbing a back injury and hopefully going to come back and play this year.

“Hopefully he comes back and is able to play, but if he’s not, I think he’ll still be a part of the game in some way, whether it’s obviously his design business and his foundation and hosting golf tournaments.”