Tiger Woods gave two interviews that aired Sunday evening, the first time he has answered questions since his post-Thanksgiving car accident. According to ESPN, Woods’ representatives did not restrict the network’s questions, but the interview was limited to just five minutes. Another interview aired simultaneously on the Golf Channel.
Woods told ESPN that the past four months have been difficult. “I have had a lot of low points. Just when I didn’t think it could get any lower, it got lower,” he said. He added that he is “little nervous” about the reception he will get at the Masters, where he is scheduled to return to golf in April.
When asked how many affairs he had, Woods did not answer directly. “Well, just one is enough. 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.”
Woods told ESPN that telling his wife and mother about his transgressions has “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.”
Asked to describe his wife’s reaction, Woods said she “was hurt, she was hurt. Very hurt. Shocked.”
ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi also asked Woods why he married Elin Nordegren. “Why? ‘Cause I loved her. I loved Elin with everything I have. And that’s something that makes me feel even worse. That I did this to someone I loved that much,” Woods said.
In his interview with the Golf Channel, Woods denied that many people close to him knew of his affairs as they were happening: “I’m sure if more people would have known — in my inner circle — they would have stopped it. But I kept it all to myself.”
Woods said that his father, if he were still alive, would “be very disappointed in me. We’d have numerous long talks. And that’s one of the things I miss. I miss his guidance.” When asked to guess what his father would say to him, Woods replied, “I can’t say it on air.”
