Golf: Tiger Woods Is Alive After Surgery

Forbes No 2 richest sportsman, Tiger Woods is conscious and responsive after his surgical procedure on serious leg injuries suffered in a car crash in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 15-time golf major champion, 45, had to be "extricated from the wreck" by firefighters and paramedics.

The American suffered "open fractures affecting the tibia and fibula bones" in his lower right leg "stabilised by inserting a rod into the tibia".

Injuries to his foot and ankle have been stabilised with screws and pins.

Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer of the Harbor UCLA Medical Centre where Woods is being treated, said the open fractures were comminuted, meaning broken in more than two pieces.

READ ALSO: Tiger Woods Undergoes Surgery Over Multiple Fractures After Car Accident

Mahajan added: "Trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the leg required the surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling."

pic.twitter.com/vZitnFV0YA

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 24, 2021

"He [Woods] is recovering in his hospital room," added a statement, published on Woods' Twitter account.

Carlos Gonzalez said the golfer was "not able to stand under his own power" before being removed from the vehicle which had sustained major damage.

He said that the American was wearing his seatbelt and was "still calm and lucid" when he told him his name.

He added: "However, because it is downhill, it slopes and curves, that area has a high frequency of accidents. It is not uncommon."

He said the car hit a kerb, a tree and rolled over several times. Villanueva added "there was no evidence of impairment" with Woods.