Questions over Tiger Woods accident

AP

The scene at Tiger Woods' home after his accident and, inset, Woods with wife Elin Nordegren.

RUMOURS: Tiger Woods with his wife Elin Nordegren at the Presidents Cup golf tournament in California, in October. Police plan to question Woods about the events surrounding a car accident outside the golf champion's house.

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The mystery over Tiger Woods's car crash has intensified after his agent called US state troopers on their way to the golfer's house and asked them to wait before speaking to him.

It was the second straight day Woods was unavailable to talk. His wife had told troopers on Friday afternoon, after the world's No. 1 golfer had been released from a hospital, that he was sleeping and asked that they return on Saturday.

Woods is not required by law to speak to the Florida Highway Patrol because the incident is being investigated as a traffic accident, spokeswoman Sergeant Kim Montes said.

Authorities say they expect to release recordings of the emergency call made to police after Woods smashed his sport utility vehicle into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home.

As to the circumstances of the crash, Montes said investigators are "trying not to get on the rumour mill".

Police said Woods smashed his Cadillac into a fire hydrant and a neighbour's tree near his $US2.4 million ($2.63 million) mansion at 2:25am on Friday.

Alleged affair

However, celebrity website TMZ.com reported that Nordegren allegedly caused the cuts on Woods's face and smashed the window on the car in anger.

She was allegedly livid over allegations Woods was having an affair with a New York nightclub hostess.

The National Enquirer published a story alleging that Woods had been seeing Rachel Uchitel and that they were recently together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters.

Ms Uchitel denied having an affair with Woods.

"I resent my reputation is getting completely blasted in the media," she said during a telephone interview late on Friday. "Everyone is assuming I came out and said this. This is not a story I have anything to do with."

Ms Uchitel said she was in Melbourne two weeks ago with clients and never saw Woods the entire time she was there.

"The story stands for itself," National Enquirer executive editor Barry Levine said on Saturday.

'She got him out'.

Saylor said Woods's wife told officers she was in the house when she heard the accident and "broke the back window with a golf club". He said the front-door windows were not broken and that "the door was probably locked".

"She supposedly got him out and laid him on the ground," he said. "He was in and out of consciousness when my guys got there."

Asked at a news conference if the couple could have been arguing, Saylor said he had no knowledge of that.

Investigation

Montes said the investigation should be finished within the next couple of days.

According to the patrol, Woods had just left his Florida mansion when he lost control of his 2009 Cadillac. The report said alcohol was not a factor.

The patrol classified the injuries as serious. The first word from Woods's camp - about 13 hours after the crash - was that it was a "minor accident" and he was in good condition after being treated and released.

Saylor said his two officers found the 33-year-old Woods lying in the street with his wife, Elin, hovering over him.

Scrutiny

Woods, coming off a two-week trip to China and Australia earlier this month, is host of the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, California, which starts on Thursday. He's scheduled to have his press conference on Tuesday afternoon at Sherwood Country Club. Steinberg said he did not know if Woods planned to play next week.

Woods rarely faces such scrutiny, even as perhaps the most famous active athlete in the world.

He usually makes news only because of what he can do with a golf club. Few other athletes have managed to keep their private lives so guarded, or have a circle of friends so airtight when it comes to life off the course.

Woods and Nordegren, married for five years, have two children.

- AP