Tiger Woods has shown off the scars of his ankle surgery for the first time as fans spotted the brutal marks on the golf icon’s leg. The American has often worn trousers or a leg sleeve to cover the remnants of the operation he underwent a little over 12 months ago.

In April 2023, Woods had surgery to repair his ankle. He had complained of pain in his foot after breaking his ankle and right leg in a serious car crash two years earlier.

Woods had suffered from post-traumatic arthritis caused by a fracture of the talus, the bone that makes up the lower part of the ankle joint. The surgery was described as “successful”.

Golf fans have never truly seen the full extent of Woods’s operation, aside from him limping around golf courses. The 48-year-old has long refused to use a golf buggy.

But now, in an Instagram post shared by @BlakeBunkersGolf, Woods has exposed the scars to the public view for the first time. Spotted wearing shorts and ankle socks at Oakland Hills while watching son Charlie play golf, Woods’ horror scars were on full display.

One horror scar runs from just below his right knee down to his ankle. The wounds exemplify the struggle Woods overcomes just to walk around golf courses.

In the aftermath of the surgery, a statement from Woods’ team read: "Earlier today, Tiger Woods underwent a subtalar fusion procedure to address post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture.

"It was performed by Dr Martin O'Malley at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York City. He has determined the surgery to be successful. Tiger is currently recovering and looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation."

Woods’ injuries were caused by a horror car crash he suffered on the morning of February 23, 2021. He was recovering from back surgery and had been travelling alone at 7am local time when his SUV veered off the road at high speed, colliding with the centre curb and a tree before rolling several times at the road side.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva concluded that the accident would have been fatal were it not for the interior unit of the vehicle, which remained intact and shielded Woods from the worst of the damage.

The 15-time major winner was found responsive at the scene. He has continued to compete on the PGA Tour.