Tiger Woods’ Car Accident: Everything We Know So Far

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Tiger Woods’ Car Accident: Everything We Know So Far

Tiger Woods was hospitalized in the aftermath of a single-car wreck on February 23, 2021, and authorities have officially ruled it an accident. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement after the pro athlete was "extricated from the wreck with the 'jaws of life' by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics" when his vehicle flipped over several times. The car "sustained major damage" and Woods' manager later told Golf Digest that he "suffered multiple leg injuries." The California native was the only passenger in the car. During a press conference at the time, more details about the crash and Woods' condition were revealed. Authorities noted that the golf champ was conscious when first responders arrived at the scene, asserting that there was "no evidence of impairment." Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva added, "The first contact was with the center median, from there then crossed into the opposing lane of traffic, hit the curb, hit a tree, and there were several rollovers during that process." Later that evening, Villanueva addressed concerns from the public on the department's Facebook page and denied the possibility of Woods facing reckless driving charges. "This is purely an accident," the sheriff said. "We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime." [jwplayer Kb0WRAFI-l3ahXupL] One day before his hospitalization, Woods gave Dwyane Wade and David Spade a hands-on lesson on the driving range for Golf TV and Golf Digest. The former Miami heat player opened up about spending a "great day" with the 15-time major champion. "I woke up today so proud to be able to post that moment for the world to be able to get a little snippet of our moment together," Wade recalled during an appearance on Inside the NBA in February 2021. "And I took a nap, and I woke up to the news. ... I'm just thankful that he took the time to be able to teach me a few things about the game yesterday." The Chicago native was "shaken" after learning about what happened to Woods — and he wasn't the only one. Alex Rodriguez, Barack Obama and more stars sent well-wishes to Woods while waiting for an update on his condition. "Praying for TW right now 🙏🏻," Lindsey Vonn, who dated Woods for three years before their May 2015 split, tweeted on Tuesday night. Keep scrolling for the latest on Woods' car crash and recovery. [podcast_block]

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Extracted From the Wreck

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that Woods was traveling on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes when the crash took place at roughly 7 a.m. local time in February 2021. While the department's statement initially claimed that the Florida resident was "extricated from the wreck with the 'jaws of life,'" County Fire Chief Daryl Osby later noted that firefighters simply used an ax and other tools to remove Woods from the severely damaged vehicle.

Credit: Courtesy of David Spade/Instagram

1 Day Earlier

Woods traveled to California for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades. One day before the crash, he played a round of golf with Spade and Wade. "Tiger, thank you for teaching me something," the NBA star wrote via Instagram hours before the accident made headlines.

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Both Legs Were Injured

The Los Angeles Times reported in February 2021 that Woods' injuries consisted of a shattered ankle and two leg fractures, one of which was a compound fracture. He was transported to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

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Conscious at the Scene

Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, who arrived at the wreck, claimed in a press conference in February 2021 that the 11-time PGA Player of the Year "seemed as though he was lucid and calm" and was able to tell the officer his name. Woods was in the drivers' seat when the car flipped several times and "didn't seem concerned about his injuries at the time, which is not uncommon in traffic collisions," Gonzalez explained.

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Not Under the Influence

Villaneuva added that there were "no skid marks" on the road, indicating that Woods didn't try to slow down before crashing his vehicle. Though he was traveling at a "relatively greater speed than normal," there was "no evidence of impairment."

The golf pro was also wearing his seatbelt, which authorities think saved his life. "The front end was totally destroyed, the bumpers, everything totally destroyed, airbags deployed, all of that," Villanueva said at the time. "However, thankfully the interior was more or less intact, which kind of gave him the cushion to survive what otherwise would have been a fatal crash."

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Recovering After Surgery

A statement uploaded to Woods' Twitter account that night thanked fans for their "overwhelming support" following the accident and shared an update on his progress. "He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital," the statement noted. "He is currently awake, responsive and recovering in a hospital room."

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'Purely an Accident'

While fielding questions about the wreck on the police department's Facebook page one day later, Villanueva ensured the public that Woods would not be charged with reckless driving. "This is purely an accident," the sheriff stated. "We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime."

Villanueva also reiterated that "there was no evidence of any impairment" from alcohol or "medication, narcotics, or anything like that."

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A New Hospital

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s interim CEO, Dr. Anish Mahajan, announced via the hospital’s Twitter account in February 2021, that Woods had been transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. to continue “orthopedic care and recovery.”

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On the Mend

L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy John Schloegl gave an update on Woods’ condition in March 2021, saying in a press conference, “I understand he is resting comfortably, he is healing.” After Woods’ surgery the week prior, the deputy added: “He is in good spirits, which is a good sign, and hopefully he’ll get himself back on his feet at some point down the road.”

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Back Home

Woods revealed in March 2021 that he’d left the hospital. “Happy to report that I am back home and continuing my recovery,” he tweeted. “I am so grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement that I have received over the past few weeks.”

He also thanked the “incredible surgeons, doctors, nurses and staff” for taking “such great care” of him and concluded, “I will be recovering at home and working on getting stronger every day.”

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The Investigation Continues

Disturbing new details emerged about the accident in March 2021, with law enforcement sources telling TMZ the crash investigation revealed that Woods started speeding up shortly before the crash, but there was no evidence that he took his foot off the accelerator. “Investigators believe Tiger did nothing to prevent the crash once he lost control of the vehicle,” TMZ reported.

The golfer was cleared at the scene of drug or alcohol impairment, but according to documents obtained by CNN, he had no memory of the accident and “did not remember driving.”

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What Was the Cause?

More than one month after the crash made headlines, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that their investigation was complete and that the cause of the accident had been determined. However, they would not be presenting the findings to the public due to "some privacy issues" on Woods' end.

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Excessive Speed

Lomita Sheriff’s Captain James Powers revealed in a press conference in April 2021 that the golfer was going between 82 and 86 mph at the time of the crash, which played a part in the dangerous accident. “The cause of the collision was the speed and inability to maintain the roadway,” Powers said. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva added that Woods will not face citations or charges for speeding in the 45-mph zone.

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Work in Progress

“My course is coming along faster than I am 😃,” Woods joked via Instagram in April 2021. “But it’s nice to have a faithful rehab partner, man’s best friend.” The golfer shared a photo of himself standing with crutches and a boot on his right foot on the green with his dog beside him.

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First Interview

Woods gave his first interview following the accident in May 2021, telling Golf Digest that the recovery from these injuries has "been an entirely different animal."

The athlete, who had no comment about whether he'd be able to return to golf again, added "I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced."

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Still Healing

In June 2021, an insider exclusively told Us that the athlete has been focusing on his recovery during "twice-daily physical therapy" sessions, but the "agonizing" process has been slow going. "It's been a two steps forward, three steps back situation," the source added. "He's had several surgeries on his right leg, and after his second surgery, healing was much more difficult."

When it comes to returning to the golfing green, the source explained, "He wants to be able to walk without assistance before he makes any announcements."

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Back at It

The athlete shared a glimpse of himself hitting balls on a golf course in November 2021, revealing that he is “making progress” in his game. Woods posted a three-second clip via his Instagram that showed him wearing a leg brace while swinging his golf club.

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Returning to the Links

The professional athlete confirmed his golf return via Twitter in December 2021, writing, “Although it’s been a long and challenging year, I am very excited to close it out by competing in the @PNCchampionship with my son Charlie. I’m playing as a Dad and couldn’t be more excited and proud.”

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Ready to Compete

Woods revealed in April 2022 that he plans to make his return to the competition circuit at the 2022 Masters Tournament, which begins on April 11. He explained during a press conference at Augusta National that he thinks he has a chance at winning, assuming his legs hold up on the long course.

"I can hit it just fine. I don't have any qualms about what I can do physically from a golf standpoint. It's now walking [that] is the hard part,” he told reporters at the time. “This is normally not an easy walk to begin with. Now, given the conditions that my leg is in, it gets even more difficult. You know, 72 holes is a long road, and it's going to be a tough challenge and a challenge that I'm up for."