A bright morning, a twisting road, a horrible crash: Tiger Woods’ injuries cloud his future in golf

The luxury sport-utility vehicle was moving fast along twisty Hawthorne Boulevard when its driver lost control, plowing into the center divider, smashing the “Welcome to Rolling Hills Estates” sign to bits and slamming into a curb and a tree.

The 2021 Genesis GV80 rolled and rolled. When it finally came to a stop about 30 yards off the road, it was lying on its side, so damaged that its doors could not be opened. There were no skid marks on the street, no sign of braking.

Firefighters carefully extricated golf star Tiger Woods from the SUV he’d been driving Tuesday morning as he headed from a Rancho Palos Verdes resort to the Rolling Hills Country Club for a photo and video shoot. They needed an ax and a prying tool to pull Woods through the windshield.

It was just after 7 a.m. The sun was shining. And the 45-year-old’s future in the sport that made him a household name was suddenly an enormous question mark.

Woods was already recovering from his fifth back surgery when he got behind the wheel Tuesday morning. By the time he was pulled from the vehicle, he was unable to stand.

One of his ankles was shattered, according to a source familiar with his treatment. He had two leg fractures.

Woods was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where he underwent “a long surgical procedure” on his lower right leg and ankle, according to a statement the golf legend released on Twitter late Tuesday. Doctors had to insert a rod into his leg and placed screws into his foot and ankle, according to the statement, which described Woods as “awake, responsive and recovering.”