Update: ( 2/24/21 12:40am ET): Tiger’s team has released a statement via Twitter on how the golfing legend is doing following his SUV crash. It noted that he suffered “significant orthopedic injuries to his lower right extremity (leg) that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.” He had “comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones” that 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.” The post noted that Tiger is “currently awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room,” while going on the thank his doctors, as well as the L.A. County Sheriff’s and Fire Departments for their rescue efforts and treatment.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 24, 2021
Tiger Woods is lucky to be alive after his 2021 Genesis SUV rolled down an embankment in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA shortly after 7am on Feb. 23. Photos and aerial videos from the scene show his badly damaged vehicle, with the entire front windshield gone from where firefighters broke through it to help rescue Tiger. An airbag deployed, and the force of the impact caused the hood of the car to fly upwards, exposing the mangled engine and parts underneath. Fortunately Tiger was wearing a seat belt when the crash occurred, according to authorities. “Thankfully the interior was more or less in tact, which gave him the cushion to survive. Otherwise, it would have been a fatal crash, LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters at a 3pm PST news conference.
It was initially reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that firefighters needed the jaws of life to extract the golf legend from the vehicle, but sheriff’s personnel later said at the news conference that the device was not used. Instead an axe was used to break the front windshield. Authorities said Tiger was alert and able to communicate with first responders on scene. The 45-year-old was then transported to the trauma center at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in stable condition with serious injuries.
Photos show the massive exterior damage to Tiger’s 2021 Genesis SUV following the rollover crash. Photo credit: AP.
The LA County Sheriff’s Department held the briefing where it was revealed, “he was alive and he was conscious — that’s the extent of that” and that Tiger had suffered serious injuries to both legs. Authorities also noted that there was “no evidence of impairment” on Tiger’s part. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle. “There were no other life threatening injuries to my knowledge,” Sheriff Villanueva told reporters.
UPDATE: Los Angeles Co. Fire Dept. clarifies that the jaws of life were not used to extricate Tiger Woods from the wreckage of his vehicle. pic.twitter.com/VINRsn3hIv
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 23, 2021
#TigerWoods was hospitalized after a single-car crash Tuesday near L.A. Woods was removed from the vehicle with the "jaws of life." The golfer's agent said Woods suffered leg injuries. He was on the links with @DwyaneWade on Monday.https://t.co/cbdfamiyPT pic.twitter.com/oOOLPoD3LN
— CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami) February 23, 2021
Villanueva revealed about Tiger’s SUV, “At the time that it crossed the center divide into the point where it rested it was several hundred feet away. So obviously indicates it was going at a relatively greater speed than normal. However, because it is downhill, it slopes, and also it curves that area has a high frequency of accidents. It’s not uncommon.” He added that there was “No skid marks. No braking. So, apparently the first contact was with the center median and from there then cross into the opposing lane of traffic, hit the curb, hit a tree and there were several roll overs during that process.”
First responder Deputy Carlos Gonzalez noted at the news conference that, “I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive, because this is an accident prone stretch of road, We’ve seen a number of accidents on this stretch of roadway.”
Golf legend Tiger Woods escaped a near-fatal car accident with badly injured legs. Photo credit: AP
A neighbor near the crash site called 911 about the accident. Deputy Gonzalez revealed that when he reached Tiger’s vehicle, “He was calm and lucid, I asked him his name and he said it was Tiger,” adding “He didn’t seem concerned about his injuries.” Villanueva noted that Tiger’s manager didn’t want any more information about his current condition released at the news conference. The sheriff said that while in the hospital, Tiger was alert enough to ask that a member of his team be contacted.
