<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Tiger Woods has undergone successful reconstructive surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee. It is the second operation he has had on his knee this year and the latest surgery comes just over a week after winning the US Open. "It was important to have the surgery as soon as possible," Woods said. "I look forward to working hard at my rehabilitation over the coming months and returning to the PGA Tour healthy next year." The world number one played through the pain to win the US Open at Torrey Pines, his 14th major, after a thrilling play-off with fellow American Rocco Mediate and opted to have surgery two days after that success. It is the fourth time that Woods's left knee has been operated on, but his surgeons are confident that the latest operation has been a success and that he will make a full recovery. "We were confident going in to this surgery and I am pleased with the results," said Dr Thomas Rosenberg, one of the two surgeons who operated on the 31-year-old. "There were no surprises during the procedure and, as we have said, with the proper rehabilitation and training, it is highly unlikely that Mr Woods will have any long-term effects as it relates to his career." Woods underwent an arthroscopic procedure on 15 April to clean out cartilage in his left knee and he had hoped that by doing that, and avoiding knee ligament surgery, he could complete the 2008 season. However, the American's latest operation rules him out of the rest of this year's campaign including the Open at Royal Birkdale next month and September's Ryder Cup in Valhalla. In addition to taking time out to recover from his surgery, Woods also requires time off to recover from a double stress fracture of his left tibia that was discovered last month.</div> [Source] Maybe he wasn't embellishing.
