(KGTV) -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said golf star Tiger Woods was hospitalized following a vehicle crash Tuesday morning.
Sheriff's officials said the rollover crash happened at around 7:12 a.m. in the Rancho Palos Verdes area. Officials stated Woods' vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard at Blackhorse Road when the incident occurred.
Authorities initially said crews had to use the "Jaws of Life" to pull Woods from the wreckage. The Los Angeles County Fire Department later said responders used a prying tool and an ax to get Woods out of the vehicle.
He was the lone occupant in the vehicle, sheriff's officials said; no other vehicles were said to be involved.
Woods was taken to an area hospital with injuries of unknown severity. Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, confirmed to Golf Digest that his client was in an accident "where he suffered multiple leg injuries. He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support.”
The cause of the wreck is under investigation.
Woods released a statement on social media Tuesday night:
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 24, 2021
The 45-year-old Cypress native was the host of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament held at Riviera Country Club over the weekend. He had remained in the Los Angeles area to participate in a two-day promotional shoot with Golf Digest and Golf TV at Rolling Hills Country Club, where he was reportedly headed Tuesday morning for a second consecutive day of filming.
He was photographed at the course Monday with retired NBA star Dwayne Wade and comedian David Spade.
D-Wade getting some lessons from @tigerwoods 😂⛳
(via @dwyanewade/IG) pic.twitter.com/igSzYJ398o
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 23, 2021
Woods, who has battled back issues in recent years, last competed in a golf tournament on Dec. 20, at the PNC Championship in Orlando. He subsequently had surgery to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching a nerve, his first surgery since undergoing a spinal fusion in April 2017.
Woods came back from that operation to win the 2019 Masters, his 15th major title, second only to Jack Nicklaus' 18.
On Sunday, Woods told CBS' Jim Nantz that he was scheduled to have an MRI and would await the results to determine when he could begin training for a return to competition.
Woods has had two other high-profile auto incidents. In November 2009, he crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home and suffered minor injuries. In 2017, he was found asleep in a vehicle in Jupiter, Florida, and was found to have multiple painkillers and sleeping aids in his system. He subsequently entered a diversion program.
Authorities gave an update Tuesday afternoon. Watch below:
City News Service contributed to this report
This morning @LMTLASD responded to a roll-over collision in which @TigerWoods was injured. Please see our statement... pic.twitter.com/cSWOxKZC1w
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) February 23, 2021
