Woods released in “good” condition

Posted by Benton on November 27, 2009 · 1 Comment 

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods was injured in a car accident early Friday near his Florida home, but was released from the hospital later in the day.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at 2:25 a.m. ET, though the accident report was not released until nearly 12 hours later.

Woods was driving a 2009 Cadillac sport utility vehicle. No one else was in the car. He was pulling out of his driveway when his SUV struck a fire hydrant, then a tree, according to the highway patrol.

The highway patrol first reported Woods’ injuries as serious, though Woods spokesman, Glenn Greenspan, said Friday afternoon that the golfer was treated at the hospital and released in good condition. A statement from the hospital, as well as Greenspan’s statement, termed the accident as “minor.”

Patrol spokeswoman Kim Montes said troopers consider the injuries serious if they require more than minor medical attention.

The FHP said alcohol was not involved, though the accident remains under investigation and charges could be filed. No one else was in the car, Montes said.

The airbags in the SUV did not deploy, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel. The newspaper said airbags typically do not deploy if a vehicle is traveling less than 33 mph.

Gary Bruhn, mayor of the adjacent community of Windermere, said police from that village were among the first on the accident scene and saw Woods with cuts on his face.

Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, told USA Today that Woods is fine. Golf World magazine executive editor Ron Sirak said on ESPNEWS that Woods has “facial lacerations.”

A PGA Tour media official said there is “no comment at this time.”

Woods is scheduled to play in the Chevron World Challenge beginning Dec. 3 in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He last played two weeks ago in Australia, where he won the Australian Masters.

He won six times this year on the PGA Tour after missing eight months recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee. Even though he failed to win a major, Woods said he considered this a successful year because he did not know how his knee would respond.

Woods won a seventh title in the Australian Masters.

Woods, who has won 82 times around the world and 14 majors, returned to his $2.4 million home in the exclusive Isleworth subdivision near Orlando earlier this week after attending the Stanford-Cal football game, where he tossed the coin at the start of the game and was inducted into Stanford’s sports Hall of Fame at halftime.

Woods’ $2.4 million home is part of the exclusive Isleworth subdivision near Orlando, a community set on an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course and a chain of small lakes. The neighborhood, which is fortified with high brick walls and has its own security force, is home to CEOs and other sports stars such as NBA star Shaquille O’Neal.

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