Excerpts from Tiger Woods' first public interviews

text size

Selected excerpts from Tiger Woods' interviews Sunday with the Golf Channel and ESPN, the first time the world's top-ranked golfer answered questions on camera since his early morning car crash last November.

From the Golf Channel interview:

Complete coverage

For PGATOUR.COM's coverage of Tiger Woods' return to competitive golf, please visit our archive page. Click here • Tiger reveals pain, remorse • Full Golf Channel interview

On how Woods let things get so out of control:

"Going against your core values. Losing sight of them. I quit meditating. I quit being a Buddhist. And my life changed upside down. I felt I was entitled, which I never had felt before. And consequently, I hurt so many people by my own reckless attitude and behavior."

On why Woods couldn't say no to behaving that way:

"I don't know. Now I know. But at the time, that's part of what I learned in treatment. Being there for 45 days, you learn a lot. You strip away the denial, the rationalization and you come to the truth and the truth is very painful at times. And to stare at yourself and look at that person you've become, you become disgusted."

On what Woods' playing schedule will be after the Masters:

"I will have more treatment and more therapy sessions. And as far as my schedule going forward, I don't know what I'm going to do. ... That to me is a little bit bothersome, too, in the sense that I don't like not knowing what to do. But what I know I have to do is become a better person and that begins with going to more treatment."

On how Woods reacted to becoming "a punch line":

"It was hurtful, but then again, you know what? I did it. And I'm the one who did those things. And looking back on it now, with a more clear head, I get it. I can understand why people would say those things. Because you know what? It was disgusting behavior. It's hard to believe that was me."

On whether members of Woods' inner circle were involved in his infidelity:

"That is not true. It was all me. I'm the one who did it. I'm the one who acted the way I acted. No one knew what was going on when it was going on. I'm sure if more people would have known in my inner circle, they would have stopped it or tried to put a stop to it."

On the state of his marriage:

"We're working on it. And it's a process that will remain private between her and I."

From the ESPN interview:

On why Woods felt compelled to issue a public apology, despite his insistence that it's a private, family matter:

"Well, I owe a lot of people an apology. I hurt a lot of people. Not just my wife. My friends, my colleagues, the public, kids who looked up to me. There were a lot of people that thought I was a different person and my actions were not according to that. And that's why I had to apologize. I was so sorry for what I've done."

On what Woods saw from himself in treatment:

"I saw a person that I never thought I would ever become. ... I didn't know I was that bad. I didn't know that I was that bad. I was living a lie."

On what Woods expects for a fan reaction to his return:

"I don't know. I don't know. I am a little nervous about that, to be honest with you."

On confessing infidelity to his wife:

"She was hurt, she was hurt. Very hurt. Shocked. Angry. And, you know, she had every right to be."