Woods sustained injuries to his leg that required a rod, screws, pins and a surgical release of the muscle covering -- one that surgeons likely believed would save his leg from amputation, Faust said.

Just a month after his fifth career back surgery, the most recent crash threatens to set back his hopes of returning to golf glory.

He has made comebacks before

Though fellow golf professionals have acknowledged that Woods' health and his family are the most important things to consider at this time, they are also not counting him out.

He has done it before, Rory McIlroy said.

Famous from an early age, Woods turned professional in 1996 at just 21 years old, and his talent and charisma transformed him into a global icon. He won a remarkable 14 golf majors from 1997 through 2008 and looked set to stroll past the all-time record of 18 set by Jack Nicklaus.

After a break from the sport, he returned to golf but without the smothering dominance of his earlier years. There was also a growing list of injuries, leading to four back operations, including spinal fusion surgery, as well as the "dark times" where the pain was so bad he couldn't even get out of bed or play with his kids.

World No. 2 John Rahm said he hoped Woods would be able to play golf and win more tournaments.

And that he would be able to then have a proper retirement, by standing on the iconic Swilcan Bridge in St. Andrew's Golf Course in Scotland "and just being able to properly say goodbye to the game."

Safety features and the seat belt saved his life, authorities say

Woods was driving a Genesis SUV courtesy vehicle by himself and is believed to have been traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash, authorities said. There were no skid marks or other indications of braking, Villanueva added.

Villanueva said that section of road is "downhill on a curve," and he and Gonzalez said the area is known as a trouble spot for speeding and accidents. The road has seen 13 accidents since last January.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, who responded to the crash, found a lucid Woods still strapped into his seat belt but trapped as the SUV had rolled over onto the driver's side door.

"I do think the fact that he was wearing a seat belt and that the vehicle safety features worked as designed by the manufacturer likely resulted in either reducing his injury or saving his life," Gonzalez told CNN's Chris Cuomo.

The car he was driving also featured an all-new safety platform, an executive for the automaker said in a statement to CNN.

The safety features of the Genesis GV80 include a strong focus on "passenger compartment protection/reinforcement areas," said Dana White, Chief Communications Officer for Genesis Motor North America. "This includes the use of advanced high strength steel for rigidity and safety."

The vehicle was equipped with 10 standard airbags, including a "center-side airbag unique to Genesis that deploys between the front seats," according to White.

While the exterior of the vehicle was mangled in the crash, the interior damage was such that Woods could survive.

"We have seen accidents with far less obvious (damage) that are fatalities," Villanueva told CNN.