Tiger Woods suffers facial cuts in crash at Florida home

Police prepared to interview golfing superstar Tiger Woods Saturday to determine whether charges will be filed for a single-vehicle crash that left him facial cuts and bruises.

The world's number one golf player was treated and released from hospital after he crashed his 2009 Cadillac SUV outside his luxury Florida home early Friday, hitting a fire hydrant and then ramming into a nearby tree.

"Tiger Woods was in a minor car accident outside his home last night. He was admitted, treated and released today in good condition," the Florida Health Central Hospital said in a statement.

The golfer, who was resting at home, also issued the same statement on his website adding, "We appreciate very much everyone's thoughts and well wishes."

Authorities said the 33-year-old crashed into the fire hydrant while leaving his property around 2:25 am (0725 GMT) Friday in the Windermere community, a suburb of Orlando.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) earlier said Woods was transported to the hospital in "serious condition," unleashing frantic media coverage.

Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Mark Welch said the confusion may have stemmed from the initial police report. "Our criteria for serious injuries might be different from that of a hospital," Welch told AFP.

Police said Woods was in a semi-conscious state outside the vehicle with his wife, former Swedish model Elin Nordegren, next to him when they arrived. He suffered cuts to both his upper and lower lips.

Nordegren told police she heard the crash and then used a golf club to break a window of the SUV to help her husband.

"I believe he struck his head and his wife came out and pulled him out," Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn told CNN. "His wife was there and Mr Woods was on the ground. I am not going to say in and out of consciousness, but he was dazed. He was bleeding from the mouth and nose."

No charges have been laid as police said they are still investigating the cause of the crash. It is not yet clear who would face charges.

"She was frantic, upset," Windermere police chief Dan Saylor said of Nordegren late Friday. "It was her husband laying on the ground."

Saylor said he had no knowledge of any problems between Woods and his wife.

But the incident came just two days after a US tabloid published an article alleging Woods was having an affair with a New York club hostess.

Profile: Tiger Woods

"Right now, we believe this is a traffic crash," Montes said. "We don't believe it is a domestic issue."

Bruhn said the ongoing probe does not necessarily mean that there will be charges.

"I personally feel it was an accident," he said. "I have read the police report and it says there was no alcohol involved. I think it was just a simple accident."

Superstar Woods, a 14-time major winner, had been set to play his last tournament of the year at the Chevron World Challenge at Thousand Oaks, California, December 3-6 -- an event he hosts annually.

He was scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday in California.

According to Forbes business magazine, Woods is the first athlete to have broken through the billion-dollar earnings mark.

At age 25, he became the first man to win the US Open, the British Open, the USPGA and the Masters on a roll to make him the first simultaneous holder of all four major championship titles at the same time.

Facts: Tiger Woods

Earlier this month, Woods landed the Australian Masters but had returned home for a break prior to playing in the World Challenge next week.

He landed eight titles this year after eight months out of action recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee, but failed to win a major.

The Woods have two children, Sam Alexis, born in 2007, and Charlie Axel, born earlier this year.

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EARLIER REPORT:

Tiger Woods suffered minor injuries in a single vehicle car smash Friday in which his wife used a golf club to break a window and rescue him.

Woods was treated and released from a Florida hospital for cuts and bruises to his face following the accident outside his home, said the Florida Health Central Hospital in a statement.

"Tiger Woods was in a minor car accident outside his home last night. He was admitted, treated and released today in good condition," the hospital said. The golfer's website also issued the same statement.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said Woods, 33, crashed into a fire hydrant and then drove into a tree after leaving his property early Friday in the Isleworth community in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando.

The accident happened at around 2:25 am, FHP spokeswoman Kim Montes told AFP.

Billionaire earner Woods is global sports icon The FHP had said earlier Woods was transported to the hospital in "serious condition," but Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn told CNN that Woods suffered "some facial lacerations" in the accident.

Florida police said Woods was out of the vehicle and conscious when they arrived on scene and his wife Elin was with him.

She told police she had to break a window of the car by using a golf club after hearing the crash from inside the house. He reportedly was bleeding from cuts to both lips when police arrived on scene.

Superstar Woods, a 14-time major winner, had been set to play his last tournament of the year at the Chevron World Challenge at Thousand Oaks, California, December 3-6 - an event he hosts annually.

The crash was still under investigation and charges could be pending, the FHP said, adding that that the incident was not alcohol related.

Factfile on Tiger Woods According to Forbes business magazine, Woods is the first athlete to have broken through the billion dollars earnings mark.

Aged just 25, he became the first man to win the US Open, the British Open, the USPGA and the Masters on a roll to make him the first simultaneous holder of all four major championship titles at the same time.

Earlier this month, Woods landed the Australian Masters but had returned home for a fortnight's break prior to playing in the World Challenge next week.

This year he landed eight titles after eight months out of action recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee, but failed to win a major.

Woods is married to former Swedish model Elin Nordegren and the couple have two children, Sam Alexis, born in 2007, and Charlie Axel, born earlier this year.