"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."



Wow!!!!!

I have to give him props for getting his priorities straight. It couldn't have been the easiest of decisions one would think. because of the competitor in Tiger. What about the records, he may never break them now. He may also come back some day, a better and even more determined golfer. Only time will tell, we just don't know what that time frame is. The public does not like the word "indefinite". We like finite answers, one year, two years etc...
Tiger made the right choice here, the only choice. IMO I really hope that he is 100% committed in working the marriage out and that Elin is also 100% committed in working the marriage out. Anything less and failure is definite.
I admit that the selfish golf fan in me is sad. I like Tiger the golfer and I like records in any sport being chased and broken. The tour will suffer since Tiger is such a big draw and yes he still would have been a huge draw. Well, put the record breaking stuff on hold for now.
I expect his peers will be behind him 100%. Best of luck to the Woods's family.

Roy,

Very well stated, I think for his family, he has made the right decision. Actions speak louder than words, so we shall see what happens. I can see Elin, if as you say, is committed 100% to this recovery, urging him to play, as that is what he is.

Hindsight is 20/20 and if all this is true, then he may have had "friends" in certain cities and at certain events. Those events may not see him for a while. I do understand that that would not stop anything in this day and age, but what do you think? If my wife was a professional Golfer, and she had a fling with another man in a certain city, in the discussions I would ask that she not play that event anymore, (perhaps after I had visited him ) nor visit that city, but maybe that is just me.

Bottom line, it will be interesting to see how this comes out and if they can survive this storm. I am very sorry to see this happen, and hope it can be remedied quickly, however, the quick remedy may not be the one he wants. I just hope that people/media will give them the room to sort this out.

As a fan of Woods,I too feel he is making the right decision to take time off.Family should come first,and not a career.Those majors can be won later.

He may want to consider adding more people to his entourage whose job is specifically to keep him out of situations like these.The press will be on his ass like rats on cheese for at least a little bit of scandal,and the more he can avoid trouble,the better off he will be.

And since it is Christmas,we really should leave them alone so they can enjoy the holiday season as a family.

I was thinking about this last night: remember when he had his little golf 'slump' a few years ago and everyone was blaming the fact that he got married? Poor Elin took a lot of heat for distracting him. As it turns out, she was not to blame, he was too busy juggling all his mistresses and failed to work on his golf swing. That's my theory, at least.

Anyway, this break will not be good for his golf game or for chasing Jack's record. Not good for TV ratings either.

He's really made a mess for himself, it's going to take a while for him to untangle his life.

As a Tiger fan,,, I think in all the above post anything that could be said has. I wish the best for him and Elin, hope this can be repaired and a return to golf as well. I do as Roy stated (Being selfish) want to see the records shattered,,,,,,,,,, !!

I'm probably in the minority, but I don't think a hiatus is going to solve much, and is going to stand in the way of his breaking Jack's record. Golf is how he keeps Elin and the kids in the lap of luxury too. I think the sooner he resumes his golf life the better. He should make a public statement and apologize to the fans, then get back to golf.

My personal opinion - and it's only that - personal - is that he'll stay away from golf and concentrate on making things right with Elin and the family, for a while. I think he learned a BIG lesson - he thought he had enough money and enough people to cover his "transgressions". WRONG!
If he walks the straight and narrow from now on and lavishes enough honest attention on Elin and the kids - and means it - Elin will tell him, "Finish the race. Go play golf!"
An alternative is........couple of big sponsors have said G'bye and, there will be more to come. Given the carefully cultivated squeaky clean image, does he come to the conclusion he's S**T his bed and just make the announced break permanent? Don't know - just random thoughts................

Cheers
Tele

Oh c'mon.......he wasn't going to play much anyway. He'll be "back" when the grass starts to green. By then , he'll be getting itchy for some strange. I'll be rooting against him , like i always do , and things will be right in the universe. I can only hope he slips a disc pulling on a jib line ( does his yacht have sails ?? ...i doubt it. ) ...or gets taken hostage by Somali pirates. Now...THAT...would be fun !


All these platitudes like " he has his priorities straight" .... " we should leave them alone" ...." i wish the best for him and Elin" are making me sick. I HOPE Elin is not planning on having sex with the guy....eeek ...i guess he never read about sexual diseases....NASTY ! YUCK.....would you sleep with your wife again if she slept with every cheap sleasebag ( think...John Daly and much worse. ) on the circuit ? I'm serious....THINK ABOUT IT......a cornucopia of nasty little tramps !!!!! ( Hint : he did not use a condom.) The cold hard facts boys........he's a pig. You guys want a PIG to be the greatest player in history.

I DO hope he comes back though.......golf is getting more and more boring and it needs self-absorbed , club throwing , profane , cheatin , nasty , chest beating , non tipping jerks ...like The Worlds Number One. He does not have enough class to quit. He has no shame. He loves the adulation way too much. He will be there and i'll be wishing his ball into the hazards and celebrating missed putts , which are all too rare. I don't give a hoot about Tiger Woods or his "marriage." Get rid of him now Elin......NOW !!!

Other than that....i'm all for the guy.

<snip> If my wife was a professional Golfer, and she had a fling with another man in a certain city, in the discussions I would ask that she not play that event anymore, (perhaps after I had visited him ) nor visit that city, but maybe that is just me. <snip1>

The problem is this: If you hypothetical Mrs. want to get with Mr. Sidestick, she can fly him to any city where she happens to be playing. Airline travel isn't that expensive, and she probably washes all the travel bills through her business office, so you can't keep an exact track on what she's spending.