Golf legend Tiger Woods suffered serious leg injuries and was trapped but conscious when emergency responders reached the scene of his one-vehicle rollover crash on a stretch of California road known for speeding and accidents, authorities said Tuesday.
Woods 45, was the sole occupant of a 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV when he headed northbound on a downhill.
Authorities said Woods was driving at a “relatively greater speed than normal” when his vehicle crossed onto the wrong side of the road before veering off the road entirely and onto a hillside.
A neighbor called 911 to alert authorities of the accident, and Woods was conscious when they arrived on the scene.
Firefighters said the interior of the vehicle Woods was driving remained intact—and that, combined with the fact that Woods was wearing a seatbelt, allowed him to escape what “otherwise would have been a fatal crash.”
There was no evidence of impairment, according to the sheriff’s department, and Woods was reportedly calm and lucid when authorities arrived at the scene.
Woods’ longtime agent, Mark Steinberg, released the following statement after the initial report of the crash, which occurred about 30 miles west of where Tiger grew up in Cypress: “Tiger Woods was in a single-car accident this morning in California where he suffered multiple leg injuries. He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support.” As of Tuesday evening, there was no update on the specifics of Tiger’s injuries or what the surgery entailed.
A tweet from the sheriff’s department earlier said rescuers used the Jaws of Life to get Woods out of the vehicle, but Osby said firefighters in fact used a tool for prying and an ax to remove the windshield and free Woods.
This is the latest in a long history of injuries for Woods, a 15-time major champion and 82-time PGA Tour winner. He last competed alongside his son at the PNC Championship, which wrapped up on Dec. 20 in Orlando.
He then underwent a microdiscectomy procedure to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching a nerve. It was his fifth back surgery overall and the first since his spinal fusion in April 2017.
