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Woods speaks up, says crash is ‘private matter’

WINDERMERE, Florida (AP)—Tiger Woods finally gave his side of the story Sunday— on his Web site, not to police—and took the blame for an “embarrassing”car crash that gave him cuts, bruises and public scrutiny like never before.

His statement failed to clear up any questions about the middle-of-the-nightaccident outside his Isleworth estate in which his wife told police she used agolf club to smash the back windows of the Cadillac SUV to help him out.

“This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my familyand me,” Woods said on his Web site. “I’m human and I’m not perfect. I willcertainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Related Video Tiger's statement

Tiger's statement

No Tiger interview More PGA Tour Videos More Tiger Woods coverage Does Tiger have anything to gain by talking? Read complete statement from Tiger Woods Transcript of 911 call made after the accident Two vehicles with the Florida … AP – Nov 29, 5:21 pm EST FILE – In this June 11, 2009 f… AP – Nov 29, 12:17 pm EST Elin Nordegren, wife of golfer… AP – Nov 28, 12:37 pm EST Elin Nordegren, wife of golfer… AP – Nov 28, 11:06 am EST Elin Nordegren, wife of golfer… AP – Nov 28, 11:04 am EST FILE – Tiger Woods' wife, … AP – Nov 28, 1:15 am EST FILE – Tiger Woods with his da… AP – Nov 28, 1:11 am EST FILE – Tiger Woods' wife, … AP – Nov 28, 12:56 am EST Security guards gather near th… AP – Nov 27, 7:25 pm EST Health Central Hospital, where… AP – Nov 27, 6:53 pm EST Security guards gather near Ti… AP – Nov 27, 6:34 pm EST A security officer guards the … AP – Nov 27, 6:23 pm EST A security officer guards the … AP – Nov 27, 6:22 pm EST A security officer guards the … AP – Nov 27, 6:19 pm EST A security officer guards the … AP – Nov 27, 6:16 pm EST This aerial photo shows the ho… AP – Nov 27, 6:15 pm EST Todd Lewis, right, an announce… AP – Nov 27, 6:13 pm EST Cars enter the gated Isleworth… AP – Nov 27, 6:13 pm EST A car leaves the gated Islewor… AP – Nov 27, 6:03 pm EST A security officer guards the … AP – Nov 27, 5:42 pm EST A March 2001 photo shows Tiger… AP – Nov 27, 5:38 pm EST A March 2001 photo shows Tiger… AP – Nov 27, 4:54 pm EST FILE – In this Aug. 20, 2006, … AP – Nov 27, 3:20 pm EST FILE – In this April 8, 2001, … AP – Nov 27, 3:15 pm EST FILE – In this Nov. 15, 2009 f… AP – Nov 27, 3:07 pm EST FILE – In this Nov. 14, 2009 f… AP – Nov 27, 2:54 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 25; 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The statement was posted around 2 p.m. Sunday, about an hour after Woods’attorney told the Florida Highway Patrol that for the third straight day golf’sNo. 1 player would be unavailable to talk to troopers.

This time, the meeting was not rescheduled.

Even so, Sgt. Kim Montes of FHP said troopers went to Woods’ $2.4 millionestate anyway, only for attorney Mark NeJame to turn them away. The attorneygave troopers Woods’ driver’s license, registration and insurance as required bylaw for such accidents.

Woods said the crash was a private matter, and he intended to keep it thatway.

“Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded andmalicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me areirresponsible,” he said. “The only person responsible for the accident is me.My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. Shewas the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.”

Woods is scheduled to compete at his Chevron World Challenge, which startsThursday in Thousand Oaks, Calif., although his tournament director did not knowWoods’ status for the tournament—whether he would play or even attend.

Even with his first public comments on the 2:25 a.m. Friday accident, Woodsleft several questions.

— Where he was going at that time of the night?

— How did he lose control of his SUV at such a speed that the air bagsdidn’t deploy?

— Why were both rear windows of the Cadillac Escalade smashed?

— If it was a careless mistake, why not speak to state troopers trying towrap the investigation?

“We have been informed by the Florida Highway Patrol that furtherdiscussion with them is both voluntary and optional,” Mark Steinberg, his agentat IMG, said in an e-mail. “Although Tiger realizes that there is a great dealof public curiosity, it has been conveyed to FHP that he simply has nothing moreto add and wishes to protect the privacy of his family.”

Woods’ wife turned troopers away from their home in the exclusive gatedcommunity outside Orlando on Friday, the day of the accident, because she saidhe was sleeping. Steinberg called troopers en route to Woods’ house on Saturdayand postponed the meeting until Sunday.

“We’re just continuing our traffic crash investigation,” Montes said. “Ifwe have somebody who we feel is pertinent to the investigation, then we willinterview them.”

She said the 911 caller was interviewed Saturday, and investigators mightspeak with other people who were at the scene as well.

The FHP released the 911 call from an unidentified neighbor on Sunday.

“I have a neighbor, he hit the tree. And we came out here just to see whatwas going on. I see him and he’s laying down,” the neighbor told dispatcherswithout ever identifying the victim as Woods.

Asked if the victim was unconscious, the neighbor replied, “Yes.”

Part of the call were inaudible because of a bad connection. At one point,the voice of a woman is heard yelling, “What happened!”

“We’re just trying to get the police here right now,” the neighbor says tothe woman. “We don’t know what happened. We’re figuring that out right now. I’mon the phone with the police right now.”

According to the FHP accident report, Woods had just pulled out of hisdriveway when he struck a fire hydrant and then a tree. Woods said he had cuts,bruising and “right now I’m a little sore.”

Montes said the Woods’ car was towed for “safekeeping,” and authoritieshave already documented where the damage is on the vehicle and the point ofimpact.

The accident came two days after the National Enquirer published a storyalleging that Woods had been seeing a New York night club hostess, and that theyrecently were together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the AustralianMasters.

The woman, Rachel Uchitel, denied having an affair with Woods when contactedby The Associated Press.

Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred confirmed she was representing Uchitelwhen she was reached by the AP on Sunday.

“She is with me in L.A.,” Allred said later in an e-mail to the AP. “Weplan to meet and then we’ll decide on the next step, which we do not plan toannounce to the press.”

Uchitel arrived at Los Angeles International Airport late Sunday morning,where she was met by Allred and escorted out of the baggage claim area and intoa black car. Uchitel did not speak to reporters except to ask that she be leftalone.

Aside from occasional criticism of his temper inside the ropes, Woods haskept himself out of the news beyond his sport. In an October posting on hisFacebook account, Woods wrote, “I’m asked why people don’t often see me andElin in gossip magazines or tabloids. I think we’ve avoided a lot of mediaattention because we’re kind of boring. …”

AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Jacksonville, and Associated Press writersLinda Deutsch in Los Angeles, and Sarah Larimer in Miami contributed to thisreport.

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