Tiger says rehab ‘painful, focuses on walking on his own

Tiger Woods described his recovery from a car crash that left him with career-threatening injuries as more painful than anything he has experienced and said his focus is on being able to walk on his own again.

Woods, speaking in a Golf Digest interview, is no stranger to rehabilitation procedures after having several back and knee surgeries but admitted his latest recovery was unlike any he has undergone before.

“This has been an entirely different animal,” Woods, 45, said in the interview published on Thursday. “I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced.”

Woods was driving above the speed limit in February when he lost control of his vehicle, which crossed through oncoming lanes of traffic before slamming into trees off the side of a road outside Los Angeles.

The 15-times major champion, whose accident resulted in a three-week hospital stay, posted a photo on Instagram last month that showed him smiling, on crutches and in a walking boot.

When asked about his hopes of playing golf again, Woods said he was focused on rehabilitation at his South Florida home.

“My physical therapy has been keeping me busy,” said Woods, the most successful golfer of his generation. “I do my routines every day and am focused on my No. 1 goal right now: walking on my own. Taking it one step at a time.”