TIGER CAR CRASH
‘Agitated’ star was in rush to film TV show
TIGER Woods was said to be “rushing in an agitated state” to film at a golf course with NFL stars when he crashed, it was claimed yesterday.
Worrying questions about the golf star’s frame of mind began to surface as police revealed Tiger’s life was only saved by his seatbelt after he lost control of the SUV.
Woods was in a hurry to meet NFL stars Drew Brees and Justin Herbert at a club where they were filming for GolfTV when he went off the road at a bend on a hill, shattering his legs.
The star is said to have appeared “agitated and impatient”, almost hitting a TV director’s car as he left a Los Angeles resort after becoming “blocked in” by another driver.
Yesterday the former Open champion was “awake” and “recovering” following lengthy surgery that has left question marks hanging over his future career.
According to America’s respected People magazine, a source close to Woods said the golfer knows his career may now be in jeopardy.
Notorious
“He doesn’t want his career to end like this,” said the insider.
“So if there’s any way at all that he can continue playing golf, he will.”
In a statement issued to his Twitter page, Woods’ team updated his condition, with girlfriend Erica Herman thought to be at his bedside.
According to Chief Medical Officer Anish Mahajan, the 15-times Major champion “suffered significant orthopaedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopaedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre.”
The doctor went on to explain Woods suffered from “fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones... stabilised with a rod inserted into the athlete’s leg”. He also suffered “additional injuries” in his foot and ankle that have been stabilised with “a combination of screws and pins”.
Woods, whose life away from the course has been haunted by infidelity and trouble with the police, was already recovering from his fifth back surgery when he got behind the wheel Tuesday morning.
The 45-year-old golf legend, said to be worth £585million despite one of sport’s costliest divorces after wife Elin Nordegren dumped him for cheating, was involved in the singlevehicle accident near the Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, located in Los Angeles county.
The stretch of road is known as a notorious accident hotspot that has a 45mph speed limit. Woods reportedly hit a central reservation, smashed through a street sign, hit a tree and then flipped the £50,000 SUV several times. There is no suggestion he was breaking the speed limit.
The vehicle came to rest in bushes at the side of the road where the star was found trapped inside by Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, alerted by a neighbour who heard the crash.
The officer said: “The fact that he was wearing a seat belt, I would say that it greatly increased the likelihood that it saved his life.
“It’s very fortunate that Mr Woods was able to come out of this alive.”
Speaking yesterday he added: “I don’t think he was aware of how gravely he was injured at the time. It could be a mixture of adrenaline, it could’ve been shock.
“He seemed calm, he didn’t seem like he was in distress, and he was able to talk to me a little bit.”
Police said they are not considering bringing charges against Woods.
LA County Chief Alex Villanueva said: “There was no evidence of any impairment. He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that.”
On Sunday some viewers were concerned as Woods commentated at The Genesis Invitational at California’s Riviera Country Club.
Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier said: “Tiger’s appearance had a lot of people concerned. His eyes were puffy, and he said he was feeling stiff after a fifth back surgery.”
Woods assured fans all was well, saying: “I am feeling fine. I have one more MRI scheduled. Still in the gym doing the mundane stuff for rehab.”
Tuesday’s accident came four years after Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving after making a deal with Florida prosecutors to avoid jail after being found behind the wheel under the influence of drink or drugs.