LOS ANGELES - Tiger Woods is at the beginning of a long road to recovery after the golfing legend suffered major leg injuries during a rollover crash last Tuesday morning.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jaime Hernandez says Woods is just lucky to have survived the impact.

Auto experts said the car was a Genesis GV80, a newer luxury SUV. The car comes with high-tech safety features, like 10 airbags.

The airbag between the passenger and driver seat was most important during the crash and could have saved Woods' life, experts said.

"It is kind of like a cushion being the difference between having a bad day or having the rest of your life changed," said Brian Moody of AutoTrader. "His injuries are absolutely less serious because he was in the type of car he was in. A newer car, plus manufactured by a company who normally scores high in terms of crash tests."

"After an injury like this, things are never the same," said Hernandez. "All of this taken together is obviously a pretty severe injury and requires healing to different structures - bone, soft tissue, muscle, tendon, possibly nerves, so it's a pretty severe injury."

Woods is reportedly "recovering and in good spirits", according to a statement posted on his Twitter account.

Woods had his procedures at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was transferred Wednesday night

Story Date: March 1, 2021