Tiger Woods car crash: Golfing great ‘awake and responsive’ following surgery

Tiger Woods is "awake and responsive" following surgery on serious leg injuries suffered in a car crash in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 15-time golf major champion, 45, had to be "extricated from the wreck" by firefighters and paramedics.

The American suffered "open fractures affecting the tibia and fibula bones" in his lower right leg "stabilised by inserting a rod into the tibia".

Injuries to his foot and ankle have been stabilised with screws and pins.

"He is recovering in his hospital room," added a statement, published on Woods' Twitter account.

Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer of the Harbor UCLA Medical Centre where Woods is being treated, said the open fractures were comminuted, meaning broken in more than two pieces.

Mahajan added: "Trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling."