Tiger Woods was involved in a serious car crash Tuesday morning near Los Angeles and taken to a local hospital for emergency surgery for “multiple leg injuries,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg.
“Tiger Woods was in a single car accident this morning in California where he sustained multiple leg injuries. He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support,” Steinberg said in a statement. .
The LA County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the car rollover accident occurred at 7:12 a.m. local time. Woods, the lone occupant of the vehicle, was taken by ambulance to nearby Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
LASD Lt. Michael White told reporters that Woods’ injuries “are not life threatening.” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who will hold a press conference at 6 p.m. ET, added that Woods is “lucky to be alive,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
According to the initial LASD statement, the jaws of life were needed to extract Woods from the vehicle, but LASD spokesman Captain James Powers later told Fox News that part of the report was inaccurate. LA County Fire Department spokesman Henry Narvaez confirmed Powers’ update, telling the LA Times: “Due to the situation and the way you found the vehicle, it didn’t couldn’t open the door and get out. We released it; we helped him out of the vehicle.
Images of the wreckage were shared on social media and showed a badly damaged SUV on the side of the road. The video shows tire tracks crossing a curb median near where the vehicle came to a stop.
Woods, 45, was in Los Angeles for the PGA Tour Genesis Invitational, which his foundation is leading. Woods, who is still recovering from back surgery on Dec. 23, did not make the tournament in Riviera, but was on-site Sunday to join CBS’s Jim Nantz at the booth and participate in the trophy presentation.
He then stayed in the Los Angeles area, staying at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, to do a two-day shoot with Golf Digest / Golf TV at the Rolling Hills Country Club, about two miles from the crash site. Woods joined a celebrity roster, including Dwayne Wade, Justin Timberlake, Mookie Betts, Jessica Alba and David Spade, on Monday in Rolling Hills.
“We learned of the Tiger Woods car accident today,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. “We await further information when he comes out of surgery. On behalf of the PGA Tour and our players, Tiger is in our prayers and will have our full support as he recovers.”
