(NEXSTAR) – Sports Illustrated Co-Editor-in-Chief Stephen Cannella discussed the latest on Golf legend Tiger Woods undergoing surgery for multiple leg injuries after a rollover crash Tuesday in Los Angeles County. He also shared what Woods’ legacy might be and if this could be the end of his golf career.
The Palos Verdes area where the accident happened, on the border of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates, is known for tony gated neighborhoods, cliffside vistas and winding seaside roads. It’s about a 40-minute southeast drive from Downtown Los Angeles.
Google Maps satellite photos show the intersection where Woods crashed, which is below a grassy hill. It’s possible that Woods crashed above the hill and then rolled down it in his vehicle.
The crash appeared to take place near Palos Verdes High School, a short walk from a local shopping center. From there, it’s about fifteen minutes by car to Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve, a popular place for outdoor recreation.
Woods was the lone occupant in the vehicle when it crashed about 7:12 a.m Pacific time.
First responders had to extricate the star golfer from the vehicle, which was heavily damaged, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Woods was transported by ambulance to nearby Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in serious condition.
The golfer’s manager told NewsNation that Woods suffered multiple leg injuries and was undergoing surgery.
It’s unclear what caused the wreck, and investigators could be seen on scene hours after the crash combing Hawthorne Boulevard for evidence. A stretch of the road has been shut down to traffic amid the investigation.
In the aftermath of the crash, two vehicles stopped by the side of the road to help and both were hit by another car, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The agency said minor injuries were reported in that separate collision, but did not specify how many others were hurt.
Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, where he presented the trophy.
He was to spend Monday and Tuesday filming with Discovery-owned GOLFTV, with whom he has an endorsement contract. One tweet on Monday showed him in a cart smiling with David Spade. According to Golf Digest, also owned by Discovery, the TV shoot was on-course lessons to celebrities, such as Spade and Dwyane Wade. He did not play.
The 15-time major champion last played Dec. 20 in the PNC Championship with his 11-year-old son, Charlie.
He had a fifth surgery on his back, a microdiscectomy, two days before Christmas and gave no indication when he would return. The Masters is April 8-11 and when asked if he would be there during the CBS telecast, Woods replied, “God, I hope so.”
This is the third time Woods has been involved in a car investigation. The most notorious took place in the early morning after Thanksgiving in 2009, when his SUV ran over a fire hydrant and hit a tree.
That was the start of shocking revelations that he had been cheating on his wife with multiple women. Woods lost major corporate sponsorship, went to a rehabilitation clinic in Mississippi and did not return to golf for five months.
In May 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said later he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain.
Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.