This post has been updated with new details on the accident and Tiger Woods’ condition.
Tiger Woods was hospitalized on Tuesday morning after sustaining serious injuries to both his legs when his car flipped over in a single-car accident in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Woods was the sole occupant of the vehicle when the accident occurred at 7:12 a.m. PT and was conscious and showed “no evidence of impairment” when he was pulled from the wreckage with an ax, L.A. Country Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Tuesday afternoon during a press conference.
Villanueva described the injuries to Woods’ legs as “serious,” though an LASD spokesman earlier on Tuesday noted they were “non life-threatening.”
The collision happened on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Ranchos Palos Verdes, where Woods’ Genesis GV80 SUV was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road. Villanueva said Woods’ car traveled “several hundred feet” and that it appeared he was driving “a faster speed than normal.” The car sustained “major damage,” according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff’s deputy Carlos Gonzales, who was first on the scene Tuesday morning, said the wreckage to Woods’ overturned car was extensive. “It is very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” he said. Woods was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident and his car’s airbags did deploy.
You can see a photo of Woods’ car here via KABC:
Here’s the first photos of the Tiger Woods crash from @ABC7 https://t.co/hH5feOVQi5 pic.twitter.com/qLGBDFTBpI
— Brodie Hart (@BrodieHart) February 23, 2021
The 45-year-old golf legend was in California since last weekend, where he served as host of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational held in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades area.
Golf Digest reported that he was doing a two-day content shoot for Golf TV. Woods had told CBS’ Jim Nantz over the weekend that he was hopeful he would be ready to start ramping up training following recent back surgery — his fifth operation overall — to be ready for this year’s Masters Tournament in April.
In 2009, Woods was involved a Thanksgiving crash near his home in Florida, which ended up revealing his infidelity and marriage troubles with his then-wife Elin Nordegren. That was the start of a massive fall from grace both in the public eye and on the golf course, as his playing suffered amid multiple injuries over the next handful of years. He was also arrested for driving under the influence in 2017.
Earlier in the day, Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg told TheWrap, “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.”