LOS ANGELES: Golfing champion Tiger Woods was hospitalized in Los Angeles with severe leg injuries suffered when his car swerved off a road and rolled down a steep hillside, requiring rescue crews to pry him from the wreckage.
The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told a news conference hours later, adding that Woods was conscious and “able to communicate” when rescue personnel arrived.
The sheriff said there was no evidence of impairment when Woods was assessed by emergency workers at the scene, and that no blood samples were drawn by investigators after he was rushed by ambulance to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Sheriff’s deputy Carlos Gonzales, who was the first to reach the wreck, described Woods, who was wearing his seatbelt, as “calm and lucid,” and said he recognized the golfing great after Woods told the officer his name was “Tiger.”
Woods, 45, who has endured a series of back and knee injuries in recent years, is considered the greatest golfer of his generation. He is the only modern pro to win all four major golf titles in succession, taking the US Open, British Open and PGA Championship in 2000 and the Masters title in 2001, a feat that became known a the Tiger Slam.
Woods suffered serious injuries to both legs and was initially listed in serious but stable condition, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby told reporters. In a statement given earlier to Golf Digest magazine, Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, said the winner of 15 major championships, was undergoing surgery for “multiple leg injuries.”
The cause of the accident was under investigation, but the sheriff said there was no indication that the driver was under the influence of any substances or that weather was a factor. Video footage from the scene showed Woods’ dark gray 2021 Genesis sport utility vehicle badly crumpled and lying on its side near the bottom of the hillside, its windows smashed.
Woods was the sole occupant of the car when it crashed near the suburban communities of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, the sheriff’s department said.
Woods’ vehicle swerved into the roadside curb, struck a tree, and “there were several rollovers” before the SUV came to rest, Villanueva said. The sheriff said the stretch of roadway, known for its sloping terrain and curves, “has a high frequency of accidents.”
The sheriff also said the distance the vehicle traveled before leaving the roadway, leaving no visible skid marks, pointed to the car “going at a relatively greater speed than normal.”
The sheriff’s department initially said a hydraulic tool known as “the jaws of life” was used to pry Woods from the wreckage. Fire department officials said later that emergency personnel pulled Woods from the vehicle through the front windshield after the glass and surrounding frame were removed.
California-born Eldrick “Tiger” Woods turned professional in 1996 and won his first US Tour title in only his fifth start. Woods held the top spot in professional golf’s world rankings for a record total of 683 weeks, winning 14 major championship titles from 1997 to 2008.
After a series of injuries and personal issues derailed his career at times, Woods claimed his 15th major title at the Masters in 2019, his fifth time earning the coveted green jacket given to Masters champions. His 15 major titles stand second only to the record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus.
