As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week, and sustained some injuries. I have some cuts, bruising and right now I'm pretty sore. This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again.
Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin, are expected to talk to police for the first time Sunday, breaking a two-day silence that has only fueled speculation about his early morning accident, why he left the house at that hour, where he was going and whether an argument preceded the crash.
Sunday could deliver two bits of information -- what the world's No. 1 golfer has to say about the accident or perhaps the 911 tapes that the Florida Highway Patrol said it would release once authorities have reviewed the call.
1. Tiger's official Web site characterized the incident as a "minor car accident," yet his wife told police she needed to smash out the back window of his 2009 Escalade in order to rescue him. Does that sound like a "minor car accident"?
During the phone conversation on Friday, Tiger told his friend, "I have to run to Zales to get a 'Kobe Special.'" The person on the other end of the phone asked Tiger what a "Kobe Special" was. The reply -- "A house on a finger."
But we've learned Nordegren told a very different story to the Florida Highway Patrol, and it does not involve going back in the house for a club. Our sources will not allow us to be more specific.
We're told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We're told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV -- but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club.
We're told Woods became "distracted," thought the vehicle was stopped, and looked to see what had happened. At that point the SUV hit the fire hydrant and then hit a tree.
"Right now we believe this is a traffic crash. We don't believe it is a domestic issue," Montes said, replying to reporters' questions. "I don't know where that is coming from. That has not been told to us."
UPDATE, 4:12 PM: Additional details in an AP update:
(AP) Tiger Woods was injured in a car accident early Friday when his car struck a tree near his mansion in a gated waterfront community, authorities said.
Tiger Woods 911 Call AUDIO: Tape Released
Tiger Woods Statement: Accident Is "My Fault," Wife Acted "Courageously"
Tiger Woods, Wife To Talk To Police
Tiger Woods Waiting Continues: "It Is Unusual That We Haven't Gotten A Statement," Authorities Say
I'm a tremendous fan of Tiger Woods. This man has done so much to make golf more interesting. Also driveways. Here then is my playlist for Tiger to listen to as he recovers from . . . whatever the hell happened.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Latest news on Tiger Woods
UPDATE, 5:12 PM: Rovell's report includes a new statement from Nike: "Tiger and his family have Nike's full support. We respect Tiger's request for privacy and our thoughts are with Tiger and his family at this time."
UPDATE, 4:59 PM: Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, tells CNBC's Darren Rovell that "it has been conveyed to [Florida Highway Patrol] that [Woods] simply has nothing more to add."
UPDATE, 2:59 PM: The 911 call reporting Woods' accident has been released. Click herefor the audio.
UPDATE, 2:40 PM: Woods canceled his scheduled meeting with the police again. This is the third such cancelation in as many days.
UPDATE, 2:34 PM: Tiger Woods has released a statement, saying the accident is "my fault" and commending his wife for acting "courageously. Click here for more.
The statement:
This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible.
The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.
Story continues below
This incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.
UPDATE, 2:28 PM: Click HERE for photos of Tiger Woods' alleged mistress, Rachel Uchitel.
UPDATE, 1:04 PM: TMZ has obtained photos of Woods' SUV right after the crash. See them here.
UPDATE, 10:59 AM: Woods and his wife are expected to talk with the police today:
Sgt. Kim Montes, the patrol spokeswoman, said she expected troopers to return to Woods' house when they report for duty around 3 p.m. Sunday. She said FHP investigations into minor collisions don't normally drag on for days, but this isn't the first time that one has stretched on.
"It's unusual, but I will say it's happened before," Montes said Sunday. "This is not the first time that we've gone back to get a statement from a driver. ... We try and give the driver every opportunity to tell us their side of the story before we complete our investigation."
Montes has said Woods is not required to give a statement, only his driver's license, insurance and registration of the SUV, which was towed to a private yard with damage to the front and both back-seat windows broken.
She declined to speculate what charges or penalties Woods might be facing.
UPDATE, 4:44 AM: Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol says: "It is unusual that we haven't gotten a statement." Click here for more.
UPDATE, 2:09 AM: Brooks of SportsByBrooks asks 20 questions about the Woods accident:
2. Why did the Florida Highway Patrol wait 11 1/2 hours to report anything about the incident to the public? The report came, perhaps not coincidentally, after Woods had received treatment and exited an Orlando hospital.
Read the rest of the questions here.
UPDATE, 11/29 12:43 AM: TMZ reports that Tiger Woods told a friend his wife had "gone ghetto" on him. More:
Click here for additional details from TMZ.
UPDATE, 7:23 PM: A source familiar with the situation tells the Huffington Post that Woods and his wife were arguing about his alleged affair prior to the accident.
UPDATE, 7:18 PM: SportsByBrooks has posted additional photos of Rachel Uchitel, Tiger Woods' alleged mistress.
UPDATE, 5:59 PM: Although Woods was scheduled to speak with the police today, his agent told authorities that he and his wife are not available after all. Click here for more.
UPDATE, 3:59 PM: Woods' alleged mistress, Rachel Uchitel, is considering suing the National Enquirer for defamation, according to TMZ. Click here for quotes from Uchitel, including her strong denial that she had an affair with Woods. "We have never had an affair, and the claims we did are completely false."
UPDATE, 2:59 PM: The AP reports that the Police will release the 911 tapes on Sunday.
UPDATE, 2:53 PM: Click here for photos of Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren Woods, driving a Cadillac SUV today.
UPDATE, 1:57 PM: WFTV has obtained photographs of Woods' damaged vehicle. See them here.
UPDATE, 1:19 PM: TMZ reports that Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren Woods, has already changed her story from what was said yesterday about using a golf club to remove Woods from his vehicle.
UPDATE, 9:39 AM: 911 tapes will not be released until Monday at the earliest, the AP reports.
*** SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS ***
UPDATE, 11/28 12:43 AM: TMZ drops a bomb, reporting that Tiger Woods' wounds came from the hands of his wife, not a car accident:
Read their full report here.
UPDATE, 11:32 PM: Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Kim Montes says "we don't believe [the incident] is a domestic issue."
UPDATE, 10:59 PM: Scroll down for photos of the accident scene.
UPDATE, 7:14 PM: TMZ reports that "multiple law enforcement officials" say Woods and his wife fought before the car crash. Days earlier, rumors surfaced that Woods was having an affair.
UPDATE, 6:13 PM: Windermere Police Chief Daniel Saylor says that Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren Woods, smashed the SUV open with a golf club to get Woods out of the vehicle. Click here for more.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 33-year-old PGA star hit the hydrant and a tree after pulling out of his driveway in his 2009 Cadillac sports utility vehicle.
The patrol reported Woods' injuries as serious, though Woods spokesman Glenn Greenspan said the golfer was treated at a hospital and released in good condition.
The patrol said alcohol was not involved, though the accident remains under investigation and charges could be filed. No one else was in the car, patrol spokeswoman Kim Montes said.
Woods' $2.4 million home is part of the exclusive Isleworth subdivision near Orlando, a community set on an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course and a chain of small lakes. The neighborhood, which is fortified with high brick walls and has its own security force, is home to CEOs and other sports stars such as the NBA's Shaquille O'Neal.
The accident happened at 2:25 a.m., though the FHP did not release the accident report until nearly 12 hours later.
Gary Bruhn, mayor of the adjacent community of Windermere, said police from that village were among the first on the accident scene and saw Woods with cuts on his face. Montes said troopers consider the injuries serious if they require more than minor medical attention.
Woods, who has won 82 times around the world and 14 majors, attended the Stanford-Cal football game, where he tossed the coin at the start of the game and was inducted into Stanford's sports Hall of Fame at halftime.
He had traveled to China and Australia earlier in the month, winning the Australian Masters on Nov. 15.
Woods was to host his tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, on Monday at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
He won six times this year after missing eight months recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee. Even though he failed to win a major, Woods said he considered this a successful year because he did not know how his knee would respond.
UPDATE, 3:31 PM: CNN is reporting that according to the mayor of Windermere, Florida, Woods has been released from the hospital. A CNN affiliate reports that Woods suffered facial lacerations.
UPDATE, 3:08 PM: MarketWatch reports that Florida's highway patrol says alcohol was not involved.
UPDATE, 3:05 PM: CNBC's Darren Rovell tweets that Woods' agent says Woods "is fine."
EARLIER:
(AP) ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tiger Woods was seriously injured early Friday when he hit a fire hydrant and a tree near his Florida home, authorities said.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the PGA star hit the fire hydrant and tree as he pulled out of his driveway in his 2009 Cadillac sport utility vehicle.
Woods was taken to Health Central Hospital. Officials there did not have record of him as a patient, though the news release said Woods' injuries were serious.
The highway patrol said the crash is still under investigation, and charges are pending. However, the highway patrol said the crash was not alcohol-related.
Woods, 33, owns a home in the exclusive subdivision of Isleworth near Orlando. Orange County property records indicate his home is valued at $2.4 million.
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lizsblacker: Tiger Woods should fire his publicist. Delayed response to Fri nt's accident = suspicion, inherent guilt, greater need for damage control.
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MirandaMcNeil: RT @Anne_JM: #isitme or am I the only one who doesn't give a shit about Tiger Woods' accident? (LOL I AGREE) #yourcareerisover
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