'I'm only human, it's embarrassing and it's my fault,' admits a bruised Tiger Woods

Published on Sunday 29 November 2009 22:44

TIGER Woods last night broke his silence over the car crash that left him and his billion-dollar career badly bruised, admitting: "I'm human and I'm not perfect."

On his website, the world champion golfer spoke for the first time of Friday's accident, in which he ran his car into a fire hydrant outside his home shortly after 2am, before hitting a tree.

Despite speculation that the incident was preceded by an argument with his wife over allegations of an extramarital affair, he did not address the circumstances of the crash.

"I have some cuts, bruising and I'm pretty sore. This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again," he wrote.

He added: "This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumours that are circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false."

Woods, 33, had promised to meet police at his home in Orlando last night, to discuss the crash and show them his facial wounds, after stalling questioning twice. But just one hour before their appointment, he again reneged.

Investigators had been keen to clear up suggestions that scratches on the his face may have been inflicted prior to the crash by his wife, Swedish model Elin Nordegren, 29, who was found standing over his unconscious body holding a golf club when police arrived.

She told them on Friday that she had used the golf club to smash the vehicle's back window and free Woods from the wreckage.

But there were reports of inconsistencies in her story yesterday. The celebrity website tmz.com quoted an unnamed friend of Woods as saying that Ms Nordegren had "gone ghetto" on her husband, scratched his face and pursued him down the driveway brandishing a golf club, following reports in National Enquirer magazine that he had been cheating on her with a New York party planner, Rachel Uchitel.

Woods's agent denied the affair following publication of the story last week and Ms Uchitel has also insisted the reports are untrue.

Woods's statement added: "This incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well-wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be."

Police visited Woods's mansion, in a gated community in Orlando, last Friday afternoon after he was released from hospital, to question him further about the crash. His wife asked them to return the next day because he was sleeping.

Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) later had a call from Woods' agent, informing officers that the couple were "unavailable" to talk but would meet them on Sunday. That meeting was put off yesterday.

Sgt Kim Montes, spokeswoman for FHP, said: "It is unusual we haven't gotten a statement."