Shattered ankle, two leg fractures, emergency surgery: The latest on Tiger Woods
We will continue to update this story.
Golf legend Tiger Woods was hospitalized Tuesday after crashing his vehicle near Rancho Palos Verdes. Here’s what we know.
What happened?
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that it responded to a “single vehicle rollover traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.” The statement confirmed that Woods was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle.
The crash occurred on a curvy, steep stretch of Hawthorne Boulevard, a major road that cuts through the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Tiger Woods’ accident sends the golf star to the hospital after he was extricated from a rollover wreck near Rancho Palos Verdes.
Law enforcement sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told The Times that Woods was traveling at a high rate of speed and lost control of his SUV, which rolled multiple times before coming to a halt.
During a news conference, officials said Woods was in stable condition when he was extracted from the vehicle. A second vehicle accident occurred shortly afterward but with no injuries.
‘We have a rollover with someone trapped’
The first sheriff’s dispatch call went out around 7:15 a.m., giving the location of the accident and saying, “The vehicle ran off the road.”
In the midst of radio traffic directing units to the scene and coordinating the shutdown of traffic, another voice spoke with urgency at 7:25 a.m.: “Do we have an ETA for fire [department rescue units]? We have a rollover with someone trapped.”
How seriously was Tiger hurt?
The L.A. County Fire Department reported that the driver of the vehicle was taken to a local hospital in serious condition.
In a statement, Woods’ manager, Mark Steinberg, said the golfer “suffered multiple leg injuries” and “is currently in surgery.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Woods is “lucky to be alive.”
Woods suffered a shattered ankle and two leg fractures, according to officials.
What is the latest on Tiger’s condition?
Late Tuesday night, a statement was posted to Woods Twitter account that detailed the lengthy emergency surgery the golfer underwent.
“Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopaedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopaedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center,” Dr. Anish Mahajan, the hospital’s interim CEO, said in the statement.
“Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions 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. 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.”
Why was Tiger in town?
Woods was in Los Angeles as the host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, which concluded Sunday. He did not play in the event, as he was recovering from his fifth back surgery, but told CBS announcer Jim Nantz in an interview during the final round that he hoped to play in the Masters in April.
“God, I hope so. I’ve got to get there first,” Woods said in the interview. “A lot of it is based on my surgeons and doctors and therapist and making sure I do it correctly. This is the only back I’ve got, I don’t have much more wiggle room left.”
Tiger Woods was involved in a single-car accident Tuesday, more than 11 years after another crash that fueled a scandal that marred his legendary golf career.
Woods stayed around in Los Angeles after the Genesis Invitational to participate in a two-day content shoot with Golf Digest/GOLFTV. Although he did not hit balls or play any holes Monday, a smiling Woods was with retired NBA star Dwyane Wade and comedian David Spade – both of whom documented it on social media -- at Rolling Hills Country Club. Part of the shoot involved Woods giving lessons on the course to celebrities.
Woods is said to have been to headed back to Rolling Hills to continue doing video and photo shoots for Golf Digest at the time of the crash.
Reactions
Justin Thomas was speaking to reporters Tuesday just after the news broke about Woods, his close friend and fellow former world No. 1 golfer.
“I’m sick to my stomach ...” Thomas said during a news conference ahead of the WGC-Workday Championship at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. “I just hope he’s all right.”
Other reactions:
Staff writers Sam Farmer, Nathan Fenno. Chuck Schilken and Hayley Smith contributed to this report.
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