Washington, June 19 (ANI): Ace golfer Tiger Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a US Open playoff on Monday despite having a double stress fracture in his left tibia.
Hank Haney, Woods' swing coach, said that people would be amazed when they heard the real story behind his victory.
It turned out Woods played 91 holes of major golf with a double stress fracture in his left tibia. The injury occurred during his rehabilitation from knee surgery in April.
According to Haney, doctors told Wood's that the stress fractures required three weeks on crutches and another three weeks of rest, which would have meant no US Open for Woods.
"But Tiger looked at the guy and said, 'I am playing in the US Open and I'm going to win,'" Haney said.
Haney said the doctors told Woods he wouldn't do further damage to the knee by playing. It appears it was the stress fractures that caused Woods' pain at Torrey Pines.
Woods kept on playing because he desperately wanted to win on a course where he played many rounds as a junior golfer.
"I was determined to do everything in my power to play in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines," Woods said in a statement. "Although I will miss the rest of the 2008 season, I'm thrilled with the fact that last week was such a special tournament."
Vijay Vad, a sports medicine expert for GolfersMd.com, was amazed Woods even played at Torrey Pines, let alone won the tournament.
"I can't imagine anybody with stress fractures playing all that golf," Vad said. (ANI)
