Tiger Woods says, 'I am so sorry' in public apology
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (CNN) -- In a tightly controlled televised statement, golfer Tiger Woods gave an apology Friday for his "irresponsible and selfish" behavior, which he said included infidelity.
"I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you," said the golfer, dressed in a blue shirt and a blazer. "For all that I have done, I am so sorry. ...
"I had affairs, I cheated. What I did was not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame."
The nearly 14-minute statement was his first public appearance since his November car crash outside his home near Orlando, Florida -- the beginning of what would become a torrent of bad news for the professional golfer, who is taking an indefinite break from his career.
"I owe it to my family to become a better person, I owe it to those close to me to become a better man. ... I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it," he said.
"I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again."
Woods' appearance, at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach about 11 a.m. ET, was carefully managed, with about 40 hand-picked people as an audience.
Although some members of the media were invited to listen to Woods' remarks, they were not allowed to ask questions. The large majority of reporters and media were housed at least half a mile away, where they watched the event on television.
Woods' mother attended, although his wife, Elin Nordegren, did not.
Woods spoke slowly and carefully as he stood at a lectern, which held a few pieces of paper. While his eyes appeared red, he showed control throughout the statement. He raised his voice at various points, including when he told the media to leave his family alone.
After he finished speaking, he embraced his mother and a few others in the audience.
The golfer said he was in in-patient therapy for 45 days from the end of December to early February for "issues," which he did not explain. "It's hard to admit that I need help, but I do. I have a long way to go," he said, adding that he is taking the first steps in the right direction. He said he will leave Saturday for additional treatment, but did not elaborate.
Buddhism is part of his path to recovery, he said, explaining that he lost track of the faith that his mother taught him at a young age.
Responding to rumors, Woods said that his wife never hit him, as some media reported in connection with the car crash, and that there has "never been an episode of domestic violence" in his relationship with his wife.
"Elin deserves praise, not blame," he said, and she has shown "enormous grace and poise" throughout the ordeal. Woods said the issue of whether he and his wife will remain together is for them to decide, emphasizing the privacy that he became known for before November.
"As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words, it will come from my behavior over time," he said. "We have a lot to discuss. However, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us."
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Your thoughts?
Did Tiger owe the public an apology?
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nope. only one he needs to apologize to is his wife. and any personal friends/people who were put out by his actions.
he didnt do anything to me... he didnt do anything to harm the sport of golf.... he isnt responsible to anyone but his own family.
He owes his family an apology, not the public. It's not like he broke the law, he cheated repeatedly on his wife. I don't understand why the public thinks it is any of their business... I guess because everyone likes watching a train wreck on tv? I don't see why he owes an apology to anyone but his wife and the rest of his family.
He didn't need to apologize to anyone but his wife and kids. It was none of our business that he cheated on his wife. Personally I think trashy mag and shows like ET E!News and TMZ get up in stars lives too much. Why should we need to know who's have affairs, drinking or whatever? Everyone deserves a private life. I feel bad for stars I would never want to be in their shoes
Tiger Woods is just another dirtbag.
I dunno why, but maybe I do? Something about this douchebag always rubbed me wrong.
Lo and behold if that stupid fuck did not go on to prove me right.
POS Motherfucker. I hope his wife takes him for everything he has.
I fucking hate cheating assholes, and gender is irrelevant to me.
Ive barely kept up with this...I could care less what this guy does in his personal life....
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These days people seem to feel that every private wrong done by a celebrity is their business and a personal insult to them. I don't agree, I don't think he owed the public an apology but I know many people cannot separate a person's career from their personal life and if he wants to regain even some of the status he once had he 'needed' to do it.
Honestly, I wish he hadn't. I would like one person to stand up and say 'this is not about you' to the clamouring public.
I agree with Sherri!!! He was not being sincere at all. He wants to get back into the public's good graces and to repair his tarnished image!!! His apology was a joke!!
Quoting PurdueMom:
He's making an apology to the public because we buy the products he sponsors. It's all about marketing and making him marketable again.
I can't believe I even responded to this post, because I could not care less about the self-serving behavior of celebrities.
Peace!
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on Feb. 20, 2010 at 1:52 AM