The world of sports took a major blow yesterday morning, February 23, when legendary golf champion Tiger Woods, 45, suffered serious leg injuries from nothing short of a horrific car accident after his SUV struck a median in Los Angeles County, veered across the opposite lane and roll over multiple times, according to authorities.
After being rushed to UCLA Medical Center for emergency surgery on his lower right leg and ankle, Woods’ Twitter account released early Wednesday morning a statement saying he was “awake, responsive, and recovering” following the operation.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anish Mahajan said in a statement to reporters that the golfer’s leg consisted of multiple fractures in a single bone, including a compound fracture, which is known to expose possible infections in broken bones.
As reported by CNN, Mahajan said, “Orthopedic trauma specialists inserted a rod into his tibia to stabilize both the tibia and fibula bones, stabilized the foot and ankle bones with a combination of screws and pins, and relieved pressure to the muscle and soft-tissue of his leg by surgically releasing the covering of the muscle.”
Sheriff Alex Villanueva of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department revealed at a news conference that drugs and alcohol did not play a factor in the crash.
Because Woods did not display any signs of impairment, “there was no effort to draw blood,” even though the iconic sports figure pled guilty to a 2017 DUI arrest in Florida.
The incident is an unfortunate blow to the work Woods has recently dedicated to once again become the greatest golfer in the world.