Tiger Woods suffers multiple leg fractures after car accident

The extent of the damage to Woods’ car shows how lucky he was to survive the accident

Tiger Woods has suffered several serious fractures to his right leg after his car rolled off a highway at high speed in Los Angeles early on Tuesday morning.

According to his agent, Mark Steinberg, Woods suffered ‘multiple leg injuries’ and was immediately taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery to his right leg, which involved inserting a metal rod to stabilise fractured shin and calf bones. 

Woods, 45, was in California for a two-day filming with GOLFTV after serving as host for the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, and at the time of the accident was on his way to the second day’s filming.

The accident, which happened at 7am local time, did not involve any other cars. It is understood that his car ploughed through the central reservation of a dual carriageway and crossed the opposite lane before rolling several times down a bank and ending up in scrubland on its side. Woods was said to be ‘calm and lucid’ when medical teams and firefighters arrived. He had to be cut from the wreckage using specialist equipment.

Pictures that have emerged from the scene of the accident show the car, a Genesis GV80 SUV that had been loaned to Woods for the week, suffered major damage to the front end, and witnesses say that Woods was ‘lucky to be alive’ given the extent of the damage.

Woods underwent back surgery just two months ago – for the fifth time in his career – and was mid-way through his rehabilitation treatment in a bid to get back to competing again and potentially taking part in the Masters in April. But all those hope are gone now, as Woods prepares to battle back from yet another potentially career-threatening injury.
The PGA Tour released a statement shortly after news of the crash broke. It read: “We have been made aware of Tiger Woods’ car accident today. On behalf of the PGA Tour and our players, Tiger is in our prayers and will have our full support as he recovers.”