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Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies inspect the vehicle of golfer Tiger Woods, who was rushed to the hospital after sustaining multiple injuries after being involved in a single-vehicle accident in Los Angeles, California, USA. February 23, 2021. REUTERS / Gene Blevins
LOS ANGELES – Tiger Woods will not face criminal charges in the car accident that left him seriously injured, the Los Angeles County sheriff said Wednesday as the golfer recovered from extensive surgery to repair his broken right leg and his broken ankle.
Investigators were still trying to determine what caused Woods, 45, to lose control of the gray Genesis sport utility vehicle he was driving Tuesday morning. Woods was negotiating a curvy, downhill stretch of road that authorities said was notoriously dangerous when the luxury SUV he was driving veered into opposite lanes, collided with a traffic sign and rolled several times before coming to a stop.
“We are not looking at any charges whatsoever in this accident,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told a news conference. “This is still an accident and an accident is not a crime. They happen, unfortunately. “
Woods, celebrated as one of the golf greats of all time, was pulled out of the crumpled truck through a broken windshield by rescuers and taken to nearby Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
A statement posted on Woods’ official Twitter account Tuesday night said that he had undergone a “lengthy surgical procedure” on his lower right leg and ankle and was “awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room “.
Dr. Anish Mahajan, the hospital’s medical director, said in the statement that orthopedic trauma surgeons had stabilized the fractures in Woods’ leg, ankles and feet with a rod, screws and pins.
Mahajan said soft tissue surgery was also performed on the leg to relieve pressure due to swelling.
Despite the severity of Woods’ injuries, medical experts interviewed by Reuters said it was possible that he could finally recover well enough to compete professionally again.
FILE PHOTO: Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, USA – November 15, 2020 Tiger Woods of USA on hole 4 during final round REUTERS / Mike Segar
“He’s got the right psychological makeup and he’s obviously very focused and motivated,” said Dr. Riley Williams, a sports medicine surgeon at New York Hospital for Special Surgery, who operated on and managed NBA player Paul’s compound fracture. George in 2014.
‘TEACHERS WITHIN REASON’
“Six months you do an evaluation and I was able to see it in the range of 6 to 12 months after surgery,” Williams said. “Next year’s Masters is certainly within reason, once again barring some unknown complicating factors.”
The Masters Tournament, held each April in Augusta, Georgia, is considered the premier event in professional golf. Woods has won the championship five times.
Woods is the only modern professional to win the top four golf titles in a row, with the US Open, British Open, and PGA Championship in 2000 and the Masters title in 2001, a feat that became known as the “Tiger Slam.”
But he has suffered years of injuries and underwent multiple surgeries on both his back and knees, limiting his ability to compete.
Woods hosted the PGA Tour Genesis Invitational at the Riviera Country Club over the weekend, but did not play due to his back injuries. The wrecked SUV had the Genesis Invitational name on its doors.
He was seen at the Rolling Hills Country Club on Monday with actress Jada Pinkett Smith, retired basketball star Dwyane Wade and comedian David Spade.
Golf Digest reported that Woods had been filming a segment of a television show in which he was giving directions to the three celebrities on the course and was scheduled to resume filming on Tuesday.
He was the sole occupant of the vehicle when it crashed near the suburban communities of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, the sheriff’s department said.
Sheriff’s officers who responded to the accident found no indication that Woods had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs and said he was “lucid” after the accident. Weather was not considered a factor.
Woods has held the top spot in the world golf rankings for a record total of 683 weeks, winning 14 major championship titles between 1997 and 2008. His top 15 titles are second only to the record of 18 won by Jack Nicklaus.
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