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Woods was driving nearly twice the speed limit before crash

Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Tiger Woods was driving about 40 mph over the speed limit when he crashed a loaned SUV and suffered serious injuries Feb. 23, Los Angeles County officials revealed Wednesday, according to Stefanie Dazio of The Associated Press.

"The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a news conference.

The famous golfer was driving an SUV loaned to him by the Genesis Invitational tournament when he was involved in a single-car rollover on Hawthorne Boulevard near Los Angeles. No traffic citation was issued, and there was no evidence of impaired or distracted driving.

Woods was traveling 84-87 mph despite the 45-mph limit, Villanueva said. The stretch where Woods crashed is known for speed-related wrecks.

Investigators believe Woods inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brake after losing control of his vehicle. Investigators searched the SUV's data recorder, but Woods wasn't asked to provide blood samples or his cellphone since investigators said they lacked probable cause to obtain those warrants.

L.A. County authorities initially planned not to disclose details of their investigation, but Woods gave permission to make the results public.

Woods underwent multiple leg surgeries in the aftermath of the accident. He's expected to miss several months of PGA Tour action and won't be able to attend the Masters Tournament, which begins Thursday.

In a statement Wednesday, Woods thanked those who helped him following the crash and everyone who has offered him support and encouragement since the accident.

Woods ran over a fire hydrant with his car and hit a tree early in 2009, which led to revelations of his cheating scandal, and he was arrested for driving under the influence in 2017 after police found him asleep behind the wheel of a parked car.

The 45-year-old Woods owns numerous PGA Tour records and has won 15 major championships, trailing only Jack Nicklaus.

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