Tiger Woods attends the training session ahead of the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Dec. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tiger Woods is "awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room" from emergency surgery after suffering serious injuries in a roll-over car accident in Los Angeles County, California on Tuesday.
According to a statement posted on Woods' official Twitter account, the golfer had "undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital".
"Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center," said Anish Mahajan, Chief Medical Officer and Interim CEO at the center in the statement.
"Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones 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," Mahajan stated, adding that trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required the surgical release of the covering of the muscle to relieve pressure due to swelling.
The 45-year-old was transported to the hospital by ambulance after a single-car accident in the morning. He was extricated from the wreck with the "jaws of life" by firefighters and paramedics, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.
TV images from the crash site posted on social networks showed an SUV on its side off the road.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Woods was alone in the car when it crashed into a raised median, crossed two oncoming lanes, rolled several times, and ended up on its side near a steep road.
Villanueva noted that Woods was "going at a relatively, a greater speed than normal" and "lucky to be alive" in the crash.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said it's conducting an investigation into the accident.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner was reportedly in California for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament over the weekend.
