Friday, February 19, 2010

“Apologetic Woods sets no date for return to golf (Reuters via Yahoo! News)” plus 3 more

“Apologetic Woods sets no date for return to golf (Reuters via Yahoo! News)” plus 3 more

Apologetic Woods sets no date for return to golf (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Posted: 19 Feb 2010 12:26 PM PST

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) – Superstar golfer Tiger Woods, who stunned the sports world and 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," Woods said, in his first public appearance since revelations of repeated infidelity caused his spectacular fall from grace.

Woods, the world's No. 1 golfer and most marketable figure in sports, bowed out of the game in a bid to repair his marriage.

Woods, a 14-time major champion whose image was squeaky clean until the scandal over his private life erupted last year, apologized repeatedly for what he called his "irresponsible and selfish behavior."

"I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated. What I did was not acceptable and I am the only person to blame," Woods said. "I brought this shame on myself."

He said that he had undergone 45 days of therapy and had "a long way to go" in repairing his personal life, adding that he would be returning to a treatment center which he did not identify starting on Saturday.

The 34-year-old American spoke to a small group of reporters at the headquarters of the U.S. PGA Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The appearance was carried live on U.S. television and was widely watched.

Woods, who was wearing a blue blazer, a pressed blue shirt and no tie, spoke in measured and solemn tones as he delivered a prepared statement to the group of about 40 people in the room. His wife, Elin, was notably absent.

There had been speculation Woods might announce a date for his return to golf. His absence from events at which he usually competes generally drives down television ratings by 50 percent.

His comments appeared to suggest that he would miss the first Major tournament of the year, the U.S. Masters in Augusta at the beginning of April, which is the blockbuster golf event for sponsors and worldwide television audiences.

"GOOD STEP"

But PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who praised Woods for taking what he described as "a good step" toward his eventual return to public life, said there was no rush about getting him back to professional competition.

"We're supportive of whenever he comes back, whether it's three weeks from now, or three months from now, that's less important than when he comes back, he's prepared to play to resume his career in a positive way so that he's there for the long haul," said Finchem.

Woods 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 marriage, ever," Woods said.

He gave no account of what actually happened. It was that accident that snowballed into tawdry revelations about his personal life. Numerous women claimed to have had affairs with Woods in the days that followed.

Woods did not give details of his therapy. Media reports have said he was treated for sex addiction in Mississippi.

The golfer did not take questions after his statement, which Notah Begay, a friend and fellow PGA golfer, described to reporters in the room as "a heartfelt apology to so many different people."

But Woods, who is believed to be the world's wealthiest sports personality, was estimated to earn about $100 million a year in endorsement deals before the scandal led AT&T and Accenture to drop him as a spokesman.

Other sponsors and organizers offered words of support on Friday.

Robert Boland, professor of sports management at New York University, said Woods was not yet out of the crisis, however.

"It established boundaries for how he will return and may help him reestablish his brand effectively ... I think this crisis can't really blow over until he returns and plays golf," Boland said.

"Sponsors are asking themselves, 'if he's not playing golf, why are we in this relationship.'"

Woods said he had drifted away in recent years from the Buddhist beliefs taught to him by his Thai-born mother Kultida, who was on hand at the PGA headquarters on Friday and whom he hugged after reading his statement.

He suggested that a renewal of his faith would help play a part in getting his life back on track.

"FOLLOWING EVERY IMPULSE"

"Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint," he said.

Woods had been widely advised by his peers and public relations experts to make a public apology before returning to competition, many of them suggesting he should go even further by appearing in a television interview.

But his mother, speaking to reporters at the clubhouse after Woods spoke, said he had been singled out for unfair criticism and media scrutiny.

"As a human being everyone has faults, makes mistakes and sins. We all do. But, we move on when we make a mistake and learn from it," she said.

"I am upset the way media treated him like he's a criminal ... He didn't kill anybody, he didn't do anything illegal," she said.

(Additional reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Whistler, Canada and Phil Wahba in New York; Writing by Tom Brown; Editing by Frances Kerry and David Storey)

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Faldo says golf still waiting on Woods (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Posted: 19 Feb 2010 10:14 AM PST

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LONDON (AFP) – Tiger Woods may have made a "complete apology" for the sex scandal that engulfed him last year but, according to Nick Faldo, he still hasn't provided the answer to the question the whole sport is asking -- when will he play professional golf again?

Woods broke his silence on Friday when he apologised for a scandal that has derailed one of golf's most successful careers.

But the 34-year-old American did not set a date for his return to professional golf, saying only that it would be "one day" and that it might possibly be this year.

British golf great Faldo, who has seen personal issues of his own become public knowledge during the course of a career that has yielded six majors, said Woods had now dealt with the controversy surrounding his private life.

"He's made a complete apology," Faldo, who now spends much of his time in the United States as a television golf analyst, told the Golf Channel.

"Cut to the bottom line -- it's not about words, it is about actions. It's all down to actions.

"It has left a big question mark -- when is he going to return? We have had the apology but as golfers we are back at square one."

Former European Ryder Cup captain Faldo, in a separate interview with BBC Radio, said he wondered how long world number one Woods could stay away from the game that has dominated his life since childhood.

"His whole world has been golf and if he does not get back to it you assume he does not have a world," said Faldo.

"We all know what happens to the ratings (Woods's presence in a tournament invariably leads to higher television audience figures), but golf goes on."

While impressed by the way Woods spoke -- "It's pretty difficult to stand up in front of the world and do that" -- Faldo said he found the timing of the announcement "quite amazing".

Woods made his remarks while the WGC Match Play tournament was taking place in Arizona and cynics suggested he'd done so because event sponsor Accenture had been one of the first companies to end its endorsement deal with him after the scandal broke.

Woods's stated reason Friday was that he was about to go back into therapy but Faldo said: "I don't buy that one."

Meanwhile American golfer Mark O'Meara, long acknowledged as one of Woods's closest friends on the professional tour, told Sky Sports: "Today (Friday) was a step in the right direction.

"I know he's very regretful for what he's done; he's shown that today.

Woods appeared overcome with emotion at several points during his statement and O'Meara said: "I think he was very genuine, that's Tiger.

"I love the kid. I know I've said before I was disappointed about what happened -- who wouldn't be? -- but with disappointment comes hope.

"My hope for Tiger and his family, for Elin (Woods's wife) and the kids, is they work through this issue."

Woods's reputation as a family man was shattered last year after a late-night car crash outside his Florida home was followed by a string of lurid revelations about his personal life, with more than a dozen women linked to the billionaire sports star.

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Tiger Woods says will return to golf one day, but no date yet (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Posted: 19 Feb 2010 08:23 AM PST

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J buzzed up: Obama challenges GOP on health care, boosts Reid (AP)

7 seconds ago 2010-02-19T13:30:02-08:00

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Tiger Woods Says No Timetable for His Return to Golf (Update2) (Bloomberg)

Posted: 19 Feb 2010 11:58 AM PST

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Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Tiger Woods said he had no idea when he would return to golf as he apologized for his marital infidelity and "my repeated irresponsible behavior."
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