Golf legend Tiger Woods is said to be “awake, responsive, and recovering” after having been involved in a severe single-car accident in California, The Hollywood Reporter revealed.
In a statement issued to his official Twitter page on Tuesday evening, Feb. 23, the athlete’s team gave his supporters an update on his condition.
“Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center,”Anish Mahajan, MD, chief medical officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center explained.
The report went on to state that the 15-time major winner suffered from “fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibular bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia.”
It continued, “Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling.”
Woods’ teams said that the athlete was now “awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room,” before thanking doctors and staff for their support.
The 45-year-old is recovering after enduring injuries from his rollover car accident that took place early Tuesday morning around 7:12 am near the Rolling Hills Estates in the Rancho Palos Verdes area, located in Los Angeles County. Emergency officials used an axe and other tools to help them remove Woods from the vehicle.
In a press conference, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said that Woods’ vehicle sustained “major damage” after having traveled “several hundred feet” when it crashed. In an area described as being a common site for accidents, Woods reportedly hit a welcome sign for visitors, crossed lanes on the other side of the road and hit another sign and tree. The sheriff also noted that investigators at the scene “did not see any evidence of impairment,” however, Woods appeared to be going “a greater speed than normal.” Villanueva said there were no skid marks on the ground and that weather was not a factor.
TMZ reported that the athlete had been staying at a hotel where a major network television show was being filmed. An unidentified production source told the media outlet that Woods nearly hit the director’s car with his SUV he was driving so fast. The director was apparently so shaken by the occurrence that he told production staff about it. Another crew member allegedly told TMZ that Woods “took off fast.” Woods was scheduled to appear at the Riviera Gold Course at 7:30 a.m. — located an hour from where he was staying.
Authorities say that the crash investigation is ongoing and will likely take “several weeks” to complete.
