Tiger Woods is “awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room” after suffering serious injuries in a rollover crash in Los Angeles.
The 45-year-old golf legend was pried from the wreckage by rescue crews on Tuesday morning, ambulance from the scene to nearby Harbor-UCLA Medical Center6 as he suffered from “multiple leg injuries.”
“He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital,” a statement from Wood’s official Twitter account reads.
“He is currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room.”
Chief medical officer and interim CEO Anish Mahajan said that Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopedic trauma specialists.
“Comminuted open fractures affecting the upper and lower of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins,” Mahajan said.
“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.”
Police is now investigating to determine what caused Woods to swerve off a Southern California road in his sport utility vehicle, a 2021 Genesis GV80, colliding with a tree and rolling down a hillside.
Photos and video from the scene showed extensive damage to the vehicle’s front-end.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies had found no immediate indication that Woods had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs before losing control of his vehicle.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said that Woods appeared to have been going faster than normal for a downhill, curving stretch of road known by locals to be hazardous.
He added that the investigation could take weeks.