As Tiger Woods prepares to end four months of seclusion with a performance at next month’s Masters in Augusta, the scandal-scarred golfer is breaking his silence on the sex shame that nearly torpedoed his sports career.
In his first one-on-one interviews since his suspicious car accident Thanksgiving weekend, Woods spoke out on his infidelities, his return to golf and his relationship with wife Elin in two separate five-minute interviews with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi and Kelly Tilghman on The Golf Channel Sunday.
Here are some highlights:
“I hurt a lot of people, not just my wife. Looking back now with a more clear head I get it. I understand why people would say those things because, you know what, it was disgusting behavior. It’s hard to believe that was me, looking back on it now.”
Tiger On The Extent Of His Infidelity: “Well, just one is enough. Um, and obviously that wasn’t the case, and I’ve made my mistakes. And as I’ve said, I’ve hurt so many people, and so many people I have to make an amends to, and that’s living a life of amends.”
Tiger On His Relationship With Wife Elin and Mom Kultida: “They both have been brutal. They’ve both been very tough. Because I hurt them the most. Those are the two people in my life who I’m closest to and to say the things that I’ve done, truthfully to them, is…honestly was…very painful.”
Why Did It Take Him So Long To Seek Treatment For Sex Addiction: “I didn’t know I was that bad.”
On The Nov. 28 Crash Outside His Suburban Orlando Home: “It’s all in the police report. There’s a lot of stuff between Elin and I that will remain private.”
On The Masters: “A lot has transpired in my life. A lot of ugly things have happened. Things that have…..I’ve done some pretty bad things in my life. And uh, all came to a head,” Woods said in his interview with ESPN. “But now, after treatment, going for inpatient treatment for 45 days and more outpatient treatment, um, I’m getting back to my old roots.”