By Rahul Banerji
Tiger Woods survived an early morning car accident in Ls Angeles on Tuesday and underwent surgery for multiple fractures and a badly broken ankle.
According to reports, the accident happened when he was driving a Genesis courtesy SUV on a downhill stretch of road reportedly prone to accidents.
The news sent shock-waves around the world. Twitter was swamped with messages of support and sympathy from Presidents Barack Obama and his successor, prominent golfers, sports stars and well-wishers.
Jack Nicklaus, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm Vijay Singh, long-time rival Phil Mickelson, the PGA Tour, the US Golf Association were just a few of those responding to the news that rocked golf world.
The vehicle, a 2021 Genesis GV80 luxury SUV, was badly damaged and Tiger was extricated from the wreck by firefighters and paramedics with a crowbar and axe.
Severe injuries
Multiple agencies reported that the injuries to Tiger’s legs included crush injuries to both legs and a shattered ankle. The 45-year-old underwent extensive surgery.
None of the injuries are of a life-threatening nature, it was reported.
It was the 10th surgery for the 15-time Major winner, who has had knee, back and neck problems for years.
Woods was taken by ambulance from the crash site at a Los Angeles suburb to the Harbour-UCLA Medical Centre in West Carson, California.
His agent Mark Steinberg, confirmed he was in surgery on Tuesday.
At a news conference, LA County Fire Department chief Daryl Osby said that Tiger was removed from the vehicle with the help of a bar and an axe.
“It is my understanding that it is serious injuries to both legs. There were no other life-endangering injuries to my knowledge.”
Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the car “crossed the centre-divider to the point that it rested several hundred feet away”.
“That indicates they were going at a relatively greater speed than normal”.
Crash-prone site
“However, because it is downhill, it slopes and curves, that area has a high frequency of accidents. It is not uncommon,” he added.
He said the car hit a kerb, a tree and rolled over several times.
“The front end was totally destroyed, the bumpers – everything was destroyed. Airbags were deployed.
“Thankfully, the interior was more or less intact, which kind of gave him the cushion to survive what otherwise would have been a fatal crash.”
Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, was first on the scene and said Woods was “not able to stand under his own” before being removed from the vehicle.
“I immediately recognized him as Tiger Woods,” Gonzalez said.
According to CNN, Tiger was in Rancho Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, when the car crossed a median and went across two lanes of road.
It then hit a curb, crashed into a tree and landed on its side in the brush.
Paramedics put Woods in a neck collar, attached leg splints and used a backboard to get him through a hole in the windshield to an ambulance.
In a tweet, LA County Sherrifs said: “This morning @LMTLASD responded to a roll-over collision in which @TigerWoods was injured. Please see our statement…
“On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7.21 am, LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.
“The vehicle was travelling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage.
“The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA golfer, Elrdick “Tiger” Woods.
“Mr Woods was extricated from the wreck with the “jaws of life” by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.
“The traffic investigation is being conducted by investigators from LASD Lomita Station.”
Also read: Charlie has his day(s) in the sun as daddy Tiger looks on
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