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'Wasn't aware': Police make startling new claim about Tiger Woods crash

Tiger Woods' car, pictured here after the horror crash in Los Angeles.
Tiger Woods suffered serious leg injuries in the car crash. Image: Getty

The LA County Sheriff’s deputy who was first on the scene of Tiger Woods' horror crash says he doesn't think the golf legend was aware of how badly he was injured.

Woods was driving alone through a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal suburbs of Los Angeles on Tuesday when his SUV struck a sign, crossed over two oncoming lanes and flipped several times before coming to rest on its side, its airbags deployed.

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A sheriff's deputy poked his head through a hole in the windshield to see Woods, still wearing his seatbelt, sitting in the driver's seat.

The crash caused "significant" injuries to his right leg and he underwent what was described as a "long surgical procedure" at Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre.

Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer, said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones in multiple locations. He suffered "open fractures," meaning the skin was broken.

But according to Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, who arrived on the scene just six minutes after a neighbour called 911, Woods didn’t seem to realise how badly he was injured.

“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,” Gonzalez said on the “Today” show on Wednesday.

“Again it was very quick, the moment that I arrived from the moment that he rolled over, so I don’t know if he had time to fully assess his injuries.”

A statement on his Twitter account said Woods was awake, responsive and recovering.

"I will say that it's very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive," said Gonzalez.

No charges were filed, and police said there was no evidence he was impaired.

Workers, pictured here moving a vehicle after a Tiger Woods' car crash.
Workers move a vehicle after a rollover accident involving Tiger Woods. (Mark J. Terrill for For The Times) (Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag)

Tiger Woods facing fight to get back on golf course

The crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable on the golf course with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour.

He is among the most recognisable sports figures in the world, and at 45 with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf's biggest draw.

He won the 2008 US Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg.

His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs and crashed his vehicle near his Florida home.

He returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No.1.

And then after four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.

Now it's no longer a matter of when he plays again - the Masters is seven weeks away - but if he plays again.

Thoughts and prayers have come from everywhere - Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Woods had a fifth back surgery, a microdiscectomy, on December 23, just three days after he played the PNC Championship with his son Charlie, who now is 12.

Woods also has a 13-year-old daughter, Samantha.

with AAP

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