Tiger Woods Injured In Car Crash, Had Surgery For Open Fractures, Is Now Awake And Responsive

Legendary golfer and sports icon Tiger Woods--the face of EA's PGA Tour games for 15 years--suffered leg injuries during a horrifying car crash this morning in Los Angeles. ESPN now reports that the injuries aren't thought to be life-threatening. [Update: Tiger Woods' team has released a statement on his condition. Woods had open tibia and fibula fractures and needed to have a rod inserted into his leg, while his other injuries required screws and pins. He is awake and responsive but still in the hospital]

Woods was injured in a single-car rollover collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes in California, according to local police. The vehicle sustained "major damage," as you can see from the image captured from a news helicopter.

Woods had to be extricated from the vehicle with the "jaws of life." His agent Mark Steinberg said in a statement that Woods suffered "multiple leg injuries" and is having emergency surgery. "We thank you for your privacy and support," Steinberg said.

There's been no further official word on Woods' status. ESPN, citing a police source, says that "the initial report from the accident scene indicated the possibility of two broken legs and that the injuries are not thought to be life-threatening."

Woods was in the Los Angeles area for a two-day promotional shoot with Golf Digest and GolfTV. Over the weekend, he hosted the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational nearby.

Golf Digest reported that Woods was in good spirits on Monday during the filming of his content, but he did not make it to the course on Tuesday. Police responded to the crash at 7:12 AM on Tuesday, February 23.

Woods, 45, last competed alongside his son at the PNC Championship, which finished on Dec. 20 in Orlando. He then underwent a microdiscectomy procedure to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching a nerve. It was his fifth back surgery overall and the first since his spinal fusion in April 2017.

Woods hasn't played in a PGA Tour tournament since the US Open in September 2020, though he did take part in the 2020 father-and-son PNC Championship in December with his son Charlie.

Tiger Woods is considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time. He has won 82 PGA Tour tournaments (tied with Sam Snead for the most all time) and has 15 Major victories (2nd most all time). He is also No. 1 on the all-time money list with more than $120 million in career earnings, which is to say nothing of his numerous and lucrative marketing deals.