TOUR players, sports world, celebrities send best wishes to Tiger Woods

BRADENTON, Fla. – Like many players, Adam Scott sat in player dining at the World Golf Champioships-Workday Championship at The Concession as he watched the grim news of Tiger Woods’ single-car accident trickle in from across the country.

And like many players, Scott was beyond upset by what he was seeing.

“It’s sickening,” Scott said. “He’s our hero out here. You think guys like Tiger and Kobe Bryant are untouchable, but they’re not. I just hope he’s all right.”

The mood was somber at The Concession as players hit balls and familiarized themselves with the new golf course. Journalists were asking players for their reaction; players were asking journalists what they knew. Woods suffered compound fractures to his lower extremities and remains hospitalized in Los Angeles. No one knew the implications for his career.

News of his early-morning accident began to ripple across social media around mid-day ET on Tuesday. Bubba Watson pinged Billy Horschel to ask what he’d heard. Xander Schauffele said his putting coach called to tell him what had happened, and a tournament volunteer who gave him a ride showed him a smart phone image of Woods’ crumpled car.

Like seemingly everyone else on the property for this WGC event, Schauffele was shaken.

“I was talking to my caddie about the impact he’s had on the game of golf,” he said, adding that he would soon be reaching out to his father/coach to further process the upsetting news.

"The mood has been very quiet, I'd say. Everyone I've talked to has been in a strange mood due to the news. I was talking to my caddie about the impact he's had on the game of golf. It's not good for us, not good for the game of golf. All we can do is hope that he's fine and has a speedy recovery.”

Fellow golf legend Jack Nicklaus called on fans to send their positive energy towards Woods.

"Barbara and I just heard about Tiger’s accident, and like everyone else, we are deeply concerned," Nicklaus tweeted. "We want to offer him our heartfelt support and prayers at this difficult time. Please join us in wishing Tiger a successful surgery and all the best for a full recovery."

Good friend Justin Thomas was visibly shaken when given the news.

“I'm sick to my stomach. You know, it hurts to see one of my closest friends get in an accident. Man, I just hope he's all right. Just worry for his kids, you know. I'm sure they're struggling.”

Tony Finau and Jon Rahm were playing a practice round together when word began to get out.

“Me and Jon both were kind of looking at our phones and looking into it to see how serious it was,” Finau said. “Obviously for us, we don't know all the details of the situation, but we feel for Tiger. And as a player, we just wish – hope he's OK and we're praying for his speedy recovery.”

For younger players like Finau and Rahm, Woods is more than a peer. In some cases, he was the inspiration to take up golf in the first place, making Tuesday an especially dark day.

“He means a lot to my career,” Finau said. “I've said it, I think, time after time, the '97 Masters changed the course of my life, course of my career. Without that event I probably wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be playing golf, so he definitely changed the course of my life, my career. I think I'm one of hundreds of guys out here probably that would say the same thing.”

Bryson DeChambeau echoed that sentiment and expressed optimism that Woods would return to golf. It was just two seasons ago that he won his 15th major at the Masters Tournament before adding his 82nd PGA TOUR win at the inaugural ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan.

“A bit shocked, obviously,” DeChambeau said, adding that he’d been in touch with the Woods camp. “… I will say that whatever's happened, he's always come back from it in a pretty amazing way. He's an amazing human being that has done incredible things.

“I mean, you look back to Ben Hogan and what happened with him in the bus crash, right, and what he was able do after that,” he continued. “I have no doubt in my mind he'll be back.”

Rahm said he hoped Woods would be able to, “still play with his kids and have a normal life.”

Added Finau, “You just hope Tiger's all right. We all know he's a strong cookie physically, mentally, so if someone's going to get through this, he will and be back for the better, I'm sure. My thoughts and prayers I'm sure as all the players, I can speak on their behalf, are with Tiger.”