TIGER WOODS APOLOGIZES FOR SELFISH BEHAVIOUR

Golfer Tiger Woods apologises during his first public statement to a small gathering of reporters and friends at the headquarters of the US PGA Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, February 19, 2010. Photo/REUTERS

Friday, February 19 2010
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., Friday

Superstar golfer Tiger Woods publicly apologised on Friday for his infidelity to his wife, Elin, saying he was “deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour.”

“I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated. What I did was not acceptable and I am the only person to blame,” Woods said at his first public appearance since admitting he cheated on his wife and announcing in December he was taking an indefinite break from golf. “I brought this shame on myself.”

He defended his wife and denied media speculation that there had been physical violence between the couple. The speculation arose after a bizarre minor car accident in November outside woods’ Florida home in the middle of the night.

“Elin never hit me that night, or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence (in our family)...” Woods said, speaking to reporters at the headquarters of the US PGA Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Woods, who took an indefinite break from the game in December after admitting he cheated on his wife, said on Friday he intended to return to professional golf one day, but he did not yet know when.

“I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year,” said Woods, speaking at at his first public appearance since the revelations of marital infidelity caused his spectacular fall from grace.

Woods, one of the great golfers of all time and a huge draw for sponsors, said that he had undergone 45 days of therapy and had “a long way to go.” He said he would be returning to the treatment center -- which he did not identify -- starting on Saturday.