Woods crash news leaves good friend `sick to my stomach'

Justin Thomas learned of Tiger Woods' single-car accident Tuesday while preparing for the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession in Bradenton, Fla., and was staggered to hear about his good friend.

“I'm sick to my stomach. It hurts to see one of your, now my closest friends get in an accident,” Thomas said, choking back tears. “Man, I just hope he's all right. I just worry for his kids. I'm sure they're struggling.”

Woods was injured in a single vehicle rollover accident in California on Tuesday morning near Los Angeles. Paramedics reportedly used the Jaws of Life to remove Woods, who was alone in the car, from the vehicle.

News sent shock waves through the sports world.

“Praying for my brother @TigerWoods as we all anxiously await more news,” former baseball star Alex Rodriguez said on Twitter. “Thinking of him and his entire family.”

Woods' former girlfriend, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, tweeted: “Praying for TW”

The PGA Tour issued a statement from commissioner Jay Monahan. “We have been made aware of Tiger Woods' car accident today,” it said. “We are awaiting further information when he comes out of surgery. On behalf of the PGA TOUR and our players, Tiger is in our prayers and will have our full support as he recovers.”

Woods played host to the most recent PGA Tour event, the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., though he didn't play in the tournament because of recent back surgery. According to Golf Digest, he was scheduled to take part in the second day of a Golf Digest/GolfTV shoot in which he gave lessons to various celebrities.

Speaking with CBS's Jim Nantz during the Genesis TV broadcast on Sunday, Woods said he hoped to play in this year's Masters in about seven weeks. Woods, 45, underwent his fourth microdiscectomy procedure — his fifth back surgery — to lessen nerve pain Dec. 23. He had the same procedure in 2014 and twice the following year.

“God, I hope so, but I've got to get there first,” Woods told Nantz of playing in the Masters. “A lot of it is based on my surgeons and my doctors and my therapists and making sure I do it correctly because this is the only back I got, so I don't have much more wiggle room left here.”