Golf fans have hailed Tiger Woods for his miraculous sporting comeback after seeing the true extent of the leg injuries he suffered, including multiple broken bones and open fractures, in a car accident last year.

The 46-year-old, who ended a 12-year drought by winning his 15th major at The Masters back in 2019, was involved in a single-vehicle collision back in February of 2021 in California.

Woods needed to have surgery for non-life-threatening injuries that were thought to include open fractures and multiple broken bones in his right leg. Speaking for the first time after the incident, Woods told Golf Digest: “This has been an entirely different animal.

“I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced.”

The icon made his long-awaited return at the 2022 Masters and impressed to make the cut, going on to finish in a very respectable 47th place.

Having opted to wear trousers at the Masters and subsequent PGA Championship, a rare snap of Woods wearing shorts went viral this week and brought in hundreds of positive comments.

Tiger Woods wore shorts in an Instagram snap that has seen him hailed by fans (Image: Instagram @ziregolf)

One fan said in response: “Man. The fact he can still compete it wild.”

With a second adding: “Thought the “almost lost it” talk was exaggerated…but was I wrong.”

And a third writing: “The fact that Tiger is still competing after that accident is amazing.”

South African professional Dylan Frittelli even wrote: “Now maybe people will give him the props he deserves for walking around Augusta and playing as well as he did this year!!!”

Tiger Woods was left with broken bones in both of his legs following a major single-vehicle collision (Image: Getty Images)

While in the middle of his recovery, Woods noted that he would not be able to play professionally on the same schedule he had done in the past, but might now have surpassed his own expectations.

“I’m not going to play a full schedule ever again,” Woods said.

“I’m going to have to pick and choose what events, and even then, my body might not cooperate with that.

“I don’t know how many events I’m going to be playing in – and it’s going to be up to training sessions, practice sessions, recovery tactics, all those different things to be able to do it.”