(MSN, Fox Sports) Tiger admits infidelity, will take break from Golf
Tiger Woods said Friday he is taking an indefinite leave from golf to work on saving his marriage, using the word "infidelity" for the first time in a statement posted on his Web site.
"After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf," Woods said. "I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person."
Woods and his wife, Elin, have been married five years and have a 2-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son.
The announcement came two weeks after a car accident set in motion a shocking downfall for the world's No. 1 player, and included sordid allegations of numerous extramarital affairs. One woman even shared a voice mail she said Woods left her two nights before his Nov. 27 accident.
Woods hasn't been seen in public since the accident.
"I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children," Woods said. "I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try."
The PGA Tour said it supported the decision by its biggest star.
"His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honor his family's request for privacy," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement, the tour's first public comment since Woods mentioned his "personal failings" on Dec. 2. "We look forward to Tiger's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him."
The announcement by Woods raised the possibility, depending on how long he stays away from the game, that he could miss the Masters for the first time since he played as an amateur in 1995. The tournament is April 8-11.
One of Woods' favorite playing partners also said it was the right thing to do.
"I think it's great that he's going to put his family first and work things out," Steve Stricker said from Naples, Fla. "Golf will always be there. He wants to make sure his marriage is right and everything is good on the homefront. We'll sure miss him on tour until he gets things taken care of."
It will be the second straight season the PGA Tour begins without its No. 1 player, although this is different. A year ago, he was out of golf for eight months while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, and television ratings dropped 50 percent during his absence.
"We knew before he was coming back," Stricker said. "Now we're not sure when he's coming back. But this sounds good. I hope everything works out for him."
Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, told The Associated Press that he supports Woods' decision to take time off for his family.
"The entirety of someone's life is more important than just a professional career," Steinberg said in an e-mail to the AP. "What matters most is a young family that is trying to cope with difficult life issues in a secluded and caring way. Whenever Tiger may return to the game should be on the family's terms alone."
Addressing the subject of Woods' sponsors, Steinberg said that "it would be both premature and inappropriate to comment on the status of specific business relationships.
"Suffice it to say, we have had thoughtful conversations and his sponsors have been open to a solution-oriented dialogue," he said. "Of course, each sponsor has unique considerations and ultimately the decisions they make we would fully understand and accept."
Earlier this year, Woods became the world's first athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings, according to Forbes magazine. His sponsors include Nike, Gillette, AT&T, Accenture and Tag Heuer.
(The Daily Beast) Tiger Taking Hiatus from Golf
Tiger Woods, one of the highest earning athletes ever, posted a statement on his Web site today saying he is “profoundly sorry” for the hurt his infidelity has caused, and will be taking an “indefinite break” from professional golf. “What's most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing,” he wrote. This was Woods' first admission of infidelity since more than a dozen women, including some prostitutes, have claimed to have slept with him. ABCNews reports Woods may go to Sweden with his wife to hash out their problems.
(Tigerwoods.com) Tiger Woods' Haitus
I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try.
I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What's most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing.
After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.
Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.
(MSN, Fox Sports) Congressman drops effort to honor Tiger
A California congressman is dropping his effort to honor Tiger Woods with a Congressional Gold Medal.
Democratic Rep. Joe Baca proposed legislation in March that called for the golfer to be recognized for promoting good sportsmanship and breaking down barriers in the sport.
Baca said in a statement Wednesday that "in light of the recent developments surrounding Tiger Woods and his family," he won't pursue legislation this session to give him the award.
Woods' recent car accident has led to a media firestorm surrounding his personal life. The world's No. 1 golfer hit a hydrant and a tree on Nov. 27, and he was cited for careless driving and fined $164.
The accident — and Woods' refusal to answer questions about it — fueled speculation about a possible dispute between him and his wife, Elin.
Woods has been out of the public eye since the crash and subsequent allegations of extramarital affairs.
Last week, Woods issued a statement saying he had let his family down with unspecified "transgressions" that he regrets with "all of my heart."
The medal is the highest award Congress has to honor civilians for achievements and contributions to society.
The Hill newspaper first reported Baca's decision to drop the effort.
In other news, Tiger's approval rating is plummeting.
The New York Post says only 38 percent of Americans had a favorable view of Woods in a recent Rasmussen Reports survey. On the other side, 49 percent of those surveyed had an unfavorable rating.
The golfer had an 83 percent approval rating just two years ago — putting his favorablity above numbers for Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
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Sources: Tiger Woods.com, MSN, Fox Sports, The Daily Beast, US Weekly Mag., Zazzle, Google Maps
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